ToX: The Lilium Twin
by GroundZeroFirework
Summary: Novelization of Tales of Xillia I and II with a new OC. Chris Outway is Gaius' daughter and Jude Mathis' friend and classmate in Talim Medical School under the name of "Chris Aifread". Joining Jude and co. in their adventures, how will the journey change with a new pawn on the board? OC-centric. Cover ain't mine. Chapter 22 under revamping process.
1. The Lilium Twins (OC Profile)

**AN: Hello, this is GroundZeroFirework! This chapter is not the first one. Just an introduction and a bird's eye view on the OCs for my fic The Lilium Twin. I hope that after this chapter, you will continue on to the first chapter of the story. What Lilium Twins are exactly will be explained later on in the story. Thank you! :D**

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**TALES OF XILLIA OC**

**NAME: **Christina "Chris" Outway (Alias: Christina "Chris" Aifread)

**AGE: **15

**BIRTHDATE: **Ruber, Ignis, 13, Trames 2278, Efreeta

**EYE COLOR: **Red

**HAIR COLOR: **Black

**FAMILY: **Erston "Gaius" Outway (Father)

Iris Outway (nee Aktau) (Mother, deceased)

Karla Outway (Aunt)

Ethan Outway (Twin brother, deceased)

**WEAPON: **Longsword

**APPEARANCE: **Chris wears normal Auj Oule garb that is normally seen in Kanbalar, similar to her Aunt Karla. The dominant color of her outfit is black, to symbolize how she still mourns for her deceased mother and twin brother despite the years that have passed. She wears usually wears pants, black boots, black gloves and a black jacket with fur lining. Inside, she wears a black shirt with a Lumen tree imprint at the back. Her hair is usually tied in a ponytail. She has a scar on her neck due to her with Lord Aktau 3 years ago. She wears two silver rings on her left ring finger and one in her right; one is her mother's ring, the other is Ethan's, while the right ring is her own.

**PERSONALITY: **On the get go, Chris may seem fragile and understanding. That is not exactly the case. As the surviving half of a Lilium Twin, Chris is extremely powerful. She can be sarcastic to some people that would make her come off as rude but deep down she is kind and helpful, especially to children. However, she is also secretive, making it hard for her to be trusted. Has a tendency to hold grudges against those who have wronged her or she seems to think have wronged her. She tends to lash out in anger at random times, usually when the weather is hot with no wind or whenever she remembers Ethan and her mother's deaths and she is reminded that she still hasn't gained her vengeance. Her carefree personality from her childhood gradually disappears turning her into a cynical and jaded person.

**LILIUM ORB: **Chris' own Lilium orb lies on Strength and Agility, while her brother Ethan's Lilium orb that is melded with her own lies on Intelligence and Dexterity, seeing as how Ethan used to wield a dagger and a short sword. She is well versed in ice artes.

**MYSTIC ARTE: Ephemeral Twin** – Chris would invoke the power of her brother, making what seems to be an apparition of him appear and attack enemies in tandem with her in rapid succession. The final slash would release a bit of energy that would explode after 3 seconds.

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**NAME: **Ethan Outway

**AGE: **12 (turning 13 at death)

**BIRTHDATE: **Ruber, Ignis, 13, Trames 2278, Efreeta

**DATE OF DEATH: **Flava, Procella, 20, Trames 2291, Lasylph

**EYE COLOR: **Red

**HAIR COLOR: **Brown

**FAMILY: **Erston "Gaius" Outway (Father)

Iris Outway (Mother)

Karla Outway (Aunt)

Christina "Chris" Outway (Twin Sister)

**WEAPON: **Dagger and short sword

**APPEARANCE: **Like his twin, Ethan wears normal Auj Oule garb with bright colors. His dominant color being blue, he wears a blue jacket with fur lining, black jeans and white boots. He has short and wavy brown hair and red eyes. He wears glasses to slow down the increase of grade in his eyes.

**PERSONALITY: **Unlike his twin, who is decisive and straightforward, Ethan is indecisive and finds it hard to make decisions because he often wrestles with the question on whether or not he is doing the right thing. His heart is filled with kindness and understanding but is not above scolding his younger twin for her wrongdoings. Unlike Chris, who is filled with hatred for their father, Ethan's kindness forces him to accept their circumstance and simply be understanding about their father's position, knowing that he only wants what's best for them and their country.

**LILIUM ORB: **Ethan's Lilium orb lies on Intelligence and Dexterity.


	2. Chapter 1: Not a Typical Night Out

**AN: Hello everyone! This is GroundZeroFirework with my first Tales of Xillia fanfiction! Please bear in mind that this is practically a novelization of the game with my own OC and a few simple additions to it. This fic is OC-centric but I'll try my best to do a compromise and cover all of the characters and give them more screen time. And so, without further ado, here we are with the 1****st**** Chapter of Tales of Xillia: The Lilium Twin.**

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**CHAPTER I:**

**NOT A TYPICAL NIGHT OUT**

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"_Mommy, no!"_

"_Ethan!"_

"_Where were you?"_

"…_just like your mother…"_

Eyes shot open as the flashes of red ended in Chris Outway's dream. She sat up and looked out the window of her dormitory at Talim Medical School. Realizing that she didn't show up to class today because she wasn't feeling well earlier and that she fell asleep, Chris realized that she had no way of knowing what time it is…

…and the fact that she could be late for her residency training.

"Crap!" She yelled out as she scrambled out of bed and put on her uniform and ran out of her room with a bag of extra clothes and a few things. She saw that students were just coming out of their classes and just as she rounded a corner; she bumped into someone, making them both fall to the floor.

"Ouch." She moaned as she immediately got up and helped the boy she bumped into with his things and helped him up.

"Sorry about that. I was in a hurry. Man, that's the 2nd time this day." The boy apologized. Chris looked up and saw that it was her classmate, Jude.

"OhheyJudeit'sfineIgottarunSeeyou!" Chris said in rapid succession before leaving. Jude hardly heard anything else she said aside from 'It's fine'. Shrugging it off, he ran to the Reception Building.

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Chris ran to the Reception building and directly into the Outpatient Wing, the familiar and addictive smell of disinfectants travelling through her nose. Maxwell knows what Professor Miller would do to her and her credit if she shows up late again. She learned a lot from Professor Miller but she was a scary Professor. Alright, scratch that; she was a freaking terror. Chris has been threatened with an extra year one too many times to know not to cross her.

'Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap, I have to graduate by next year! I want to graduate by next year!' She thought to herself as she ran into Examination Room 2. When she entered, she saw Professor Miller sitting on a chair, giving her a deadpan stare.

"Heh, you're earlier than usual." She said.

"I am?" She asked and Professor Miller nodded as she stood up. It is Fennmont after all and with its perpetual night clime, there's no exact way of knowing what time it is.

"Now, settle down. We have patients to treat. And tons of them to boot too. Now, for every two patients I treat, you'll be treating the next one after them. You wouldn't be a very effective doctor if you hardly did hands on work during your school days now, would you?" Professor Miller said as she patted Chris on the back.

"R-really, Professor?" She asked as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Yes. You'll do fine, kid. I've watched you since you enrolled here and I've seen you improve from a mewling kitten with little to no knowledge of the curative artes to a nice young lady who's about to become one Fennmont's best doctors. You'll do well."

"Thank you? I guess." Chris said just as the Professor let the first patient in. Chris sat by the sidelines until her turn with the 3rd patient, an 8 year old little girl and her mother, came in.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Chris Aifread. So, what seems to be the problem here?" She asked the child gently.

"I hurt myself trying to turn on a Lumen Tree for fun. I drew out mana as usual but then it's like Mr. Spirit went away all of a sudden." She answered as she clutched her arm.

"Oh, Mr. Spirit suddenly went away, huh? Well, tell you what; you're not the only one who had a spirit stand them up all of a sudden. Now, I just need you to lie down and I'll make the pain go away." Chris said as she made the little girl lie down and she held her hand out. A white light appeared from her hand and she pointed it to the girl's arm. After a few seconds, she relinquished the arte and helped the girl up.

"Does it still hurt?" Chris asked her and the girl shook her head. "Alright, take care now. Don't turn on Lumen Trees for fun for a while."

"Thank you, Doctor Aifread." The Little girl said as she and her mother left the room.

"Not bad. You seem to be good with kids." Professor Miller said as she let the next patient in. "How's your thesis going?"

"Doing good, actually. I have the first draft ready in my room and the final should be ready before Ignis next year."

"Ah, just in time for your 16th birthday, I see. Still going neck and neck with Haus' protégé?" She asked as she healed the new patient.

"Who? Mathis? Nah, I don't care about beating him. I just want to be a doctor." Chris answered as she filled out the patient's paperwork. It's no secret that ever since Chris started improving in healing artes, she slowly rose through the class ranks and became neck and neck with Jude. Hours passed and Professor Miller and Chris took turns in healing patients until finally the last one left.

"Well that was peculiar. A sudden outbreak of channeling failures? Even little kids that can do simple channeling got injured." Chris remarked as she scratched neck, careful not to hit her scar.

"I agree. But what can we do? I doubt it'll last long though. You're free to go home and get some rest." Professor Miller said as she signed Chris' Class Credit Form. Chris, meanwhile, took the time to change her clothes into a black jacket with fur lining, black pants, boots and gloves. When she emerged, Professor Miller was surprised.

"You look like you came from Auj Oule. Don't let anyone mistake you for being a spy now." She said jokingly. Chris couldn't help but giggle as she took her Credit form.

"I'll keep that in mind, Professor." She said.

"Ah, yes. If you see Professor Haus, can you send him my way? I just have to discuss a few things with him."

Chris responded with a nod before leaving the room just as Jude was walking towards her.

"Hey, Jud-o. What's crackin'?" She asked him with a small smile.

"What?" He asked. Chris rolled her eyes. Typical Jude; least likely to get a joke. Also, the least likely to notice that a few nurses dig him.

"Where are you going?" She asked him.

"Oh, I'm going to find Professor Haus. Don't tell anyone but he's apparently receiving the Howe Prize." Jude whispered in her ear.

"No way, the Howe Prize? Wow, that's a big honor." She said in surprise. Shaking her head, she realized that he was going to look for Professor Haus.

"Hey, can I come with you? Professor Miller asked that if I run into Professor Haus, I might as well send him her way."

"Sure, why not?" Jude said with a smile, happy for some company. He doesn't have too many friends so going somewhere with someone is a nice change of pace. With that settled, they went on their merry way.

"By the way, what's with the get up? You look like a spy that just came from Auj Oule." Jude remarked and promptly flinched a bit when he saw Chris' eyes darken a bit, which isn't really a good sign. Anyone who's had a few classes with Christina Aifread knows that if you say something that gets to her, she'll be sarcastic to a fault.

"Oh yeah? Well, you look like a country bumpkin who's trying too hard to fit into the city."

Ouch. That's exactly what Jude was avoiding when he bought his clothes.

"Hey, I spent my savings on these clothes."

"Yeah, so did I, what's your point?" Chris retorted.

"I give up. Let's just go." Jude sighed in defeat and they carried on. They walked to Laforte and headed to the entrance, where they were promptly stopped by a guard.

"Hey, what's the big deal?" Chris asked them.

"Sorry, the lab's closed to the public at this hour." The guard said.

"We're here to pick up Professor Haus. He's from Talim Medical School." Jude said.

"Haus…Haus…oh, he already left." Was the guard's response.

"I call bull." Chris said as she fiddled with her hands.

"Is that the sign in sheet?" Jude asked, ignoring Chris' remark. The second guard handed him the clipboard and Jude pulled out his Credit Form.

'_An obvious forgery.' _He and Chris thought at the same time as he handed the clipboard back.

"Satisfied?"

"Can't we just dart in for bit just to make sure?" He asked them.

"Sorry. Rules are rules."

"Right."

"Yeah, right." Chris drawled sarcastically as Jude suddenly pulled her away before she can say anything else.

"Now what? There's no way they'll let us in." Chris said once they were out of earshot.

"Le-let's just look for another way in." Jude said just as they noticed that the Lumen Trees died.

"What the-can that even happen?" Chris asked as she looked around.

"Hm…something must be wrong with the spirits." He remarked.

"Think it's connected to our patients?" She asked him.

"Possibly."

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew past them. As he covered his eyes, Jude lost his grip on his class credit form.

"My form!" He yelled out as if someone just killed his mother. As they looked up, from the corner of their eyes, they noticed a bright light from the side. They ran towards the source and saw that it was a beautiful woman with blonde hair with a green cowlick and magenta eyes, wearing a short skirt, boots and a short top that exposed her midriff. Everything about the woman was nearly exposed and can basically be left to the imagination. With the amount of belts she has, it makes Chris think if the woman's into bondage while Jude was mesmerized by her beauty. But there was one thing that baffled them though…

…she was walking on water.

"Whoa, what the-"Jude covered Chris' mouth before she could say anything else to alert the woman to their presence. She disappeared from their sight as she walked under their platform. They ran towards the stairs that would lead to the waterway and went downstairs. Chris crouched down and hastily drew the glyph on the water on a small notebook just as Jude's form fell on the glyph and they hopped on the glyphs and started walking towards her, Jude picking his form along the way. They watched the beautiful woman summon a red glyph and a huge fireball emerged from it and hit the bars of the waterway, melting it. They noticed that the glyph that they were standing on was disappearing so they jumped to the next glyph. Unfortunately, the splash of the water caught the lady's attention and she looked at them.

"Uh…hi." Jude said nervously. She put a finger to her lips before she spoke.

"Just keep quiet…and I won't need to hurt you." She told them.

"Wait, why are you breaking into the lab? What are you-"

"Dude, you're going to get us-"

All of a sudden, the lady threw her hand out and another blue glyph appeared and they saw what seems to be a spirit, go behind them and form a bubble around them, lifting them off their feet and cutting off their air. They both struggled and tried to get out of the bubble.

"That's strange. What part of "keep quiet" didn't you both understand?" She said without looking at them. "So, ready to hold your tongues now?"

They both nodded like 3rd graders after receiving a scolding from the teacher. She relinquished the bubble and Jude fell on his knees while Chris immediately sat up as they coughed.

"So much noise. Could you try coughing quietly? What are the two of you doing here, anyway?"

Chris immediately pointed the finger at Jude.

"Can I talk?" He asked and she nodded. "I dropped something. I was just picking it up. See?"

He showed tried to show her his class form but she turned her back on them before she can see it. Chris and Jude stood up.

"W-what are you up to? The guards will be here any second."

"That's why I need to hurry, and you kids need to go home…" The lady said. "Before they arrest you for trespassing."

Now, they're not gonna lie. The thought of being arrested scares them. A criminal record would spell out expulsion for the two of them.

"Oh." They said at the same time. They both felt the glyph dissolving so they stepped on the next one and they just decided to enter the Research Center's sewer.

"Where'd she go? She must've gone ahead." Jude remarked as he looked around.

"Ah, look on the bright side; we can now go look for Professor Haus." Chris said as she went ahead.

"Hey, wait up!" Jude said as they went deeper into the Research Center.

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**AN: And that is Chapter I of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Now, I have a long standing rule in multi chapter fics (or any fic I have in general) that I write; in multi chapter fics, by chapter 3 if I have an abundance of positive reviews or none at all, the fic stays in the archives and I will try and update and complete this story as long as my time and motivation permits (I am a college freshman with a lot of things to do so don't count on too many updates). However, if I receive a lot of negative reviews for this fic, then I will delete this story from the archives and it will be as if this story never existed at all. Because really; what would be the point of a story that's full of bad reviews but is still in the archives? So, that's it for Chapter I. Stay tuned for Chapters II and III of this story, where more of Chris' origins will be explained. Please leave a review. I would appreciate it. :D**


	3. Chapter 2: Secret of the Research Center

**AN: Hello and welcome back! This is GroundZeroFirework with the latest chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin. So far, I got like one review and it was a positive one, so as promised I will update on the story. Fair warning; there will be line changes for the sake of the fic. So some conversations here weren't in game. Also, I converted some extremely important skits into the dialogue as well. Hope readers like this chapter (and the story in general). So, enjoy.**

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**CHAPTER II:**

**SECRET OF THE RESEARCH CENTER**

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"There was something fishy about that sign-in sheet, you know?" Jude remarked.

"Gee, you think. The signature looks like a 5 year old signed it." Chris stated as they walked ahead and into the next zone. As they were about to reach the intersection, someone called them out.

"Hey, you two! Who let you kids in?"

They both turned and saw that it was a guard.

"There was this-"Chris was about to say when Jude covered her mouth.

"We sorta let ourselves in. Sorry." He said.

"Hmph. I should be taking the two of you to security but you seem courteous enough. Come on, I'll show you to the exit." He said. Chris broke out of Jude's death grip on her mouth and talked.

"W-wait, wait, we're sorta looking for Professor Haus of Talim Med School. He's most likely still here."

"Oh, so the two of you know the Professor too. Yeah, he's still here." The guard said as he pointed to the other side.

'_I have a bad feeling about this.' _Chris thought as she and Jude walked right past him.

"You kids shouldn't be wandering around here. I should get in touch with your parents."

"Our families don't live around here. They're in our hometowns." Jude spoke up as they stopped walking.

"I see. Good to know." The guard said as he drew his weapons. Their eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Jude exclaimed as he instinctively raised his arms up.

"Whoa, that's police brutality. You're about to commit assault." Chris said as she raised her hands instinctively.

"Come quietly and none of you will get hurt."

"Why are you doing this?" Jude asked him, desperate for answers.

"Isn't it obvious? There's something in this place that they don't want us to know about." Chris said as she clenched her fists.

"Wait, does this mean you're holding the Professor too?" Jude followed up.

"I said come quietly." He said before he attacked. Now, they knew their own ways around a fight. But that was with monsters and not an actual human being. The only fight with a human being they had were their own individual trainings. The guard and his Sol Cat ran towards them and swung his spear, which they dodged just as they pulled their weapons out. Jude had his iron gauntlets while Chris had her longsword. Jude ran towards the cat and attacked. He brought his elbow down on the dog's head before following up with an uppercut and a roundhouse kick and his own arte.

"_Demon Fist!"_

Jude's attack hit the cat and took it down with a follow up of simple kicks and punches. Chris, meanwhile, provided cover for Jude by running towards the guard and attacked him with a swing of her sword to his torso and a swing downwards to her head before using an arte.

"_Lightning Blade!"_

A bolt of lightning hit the guard upon contact but it did not do the job of taking the man down. This time, Jude joined her and they attacked in tandem with simple slashes, punches and kicks until he finally went down. When they were sure he was down, they took deep breaths.

"W-what the hell? Why-why did he attack us?" Chris asked as she tried to catch her breath.

"I-I don't know. But that was close." Jude answered as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

"We-we should just do what we came here for. Let's just find Professor Haus and book it before we get arrested and expelled." She said as she straightened up.

"Yeah. Come on." He responded as he started walking. They entered the next area of the sewer tunnels and crossed over when they looked over to the side, they noticed that there was a guard by the ladder. Chris responded by pushing Jude back and pressing themselves against the wall.

"Hey, Jude." Chris whispered.

"What?"

"You know that if he sees our faces and lives, we could get expelled if he reports us right?" She asked him.

"Yeah. Of course I do. But what do you suggest we do? Kill him?" Jude asked her.

"That…doesn't sound like it's such a bad idea." Chris said as she took a peek. The guard hasn't moved at inch from his post.

"Are you insane? We're doctors! We save lives." He reminded her.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with killing the first one." She answered. She sighed when Jude didn't respond anymore. "Fine, fine. No need to sully your hands with more blood, pipsqueak."

Chris took out a dagger and threw it at the Guard. It only hit his leg.

"Arrgh! Hey, who's there?" The guard yelled out as he was looking down and clutching his leg in pain. Chris moved in and knocked him out with a strong kick. She grabbed the dagger and kept it once again.

"There. Happy?" She asked as she moved the body and climbed up the ladder. Jude followed her immediately. When they got out, they were amazed by the size of the place.

"Whoa." Chris said as she stared in amazement.

"Wow, this place goes on forever. Lots of places to hide a professor." Jude pointed out.

"Well, I guess it's time for us to go hunting then." She said as she crossed her arms and she leaned her weight into her left leg.

"Guess we'll have to check each and every room."

Chris responded with a shrug and they continued on.

"I don't like this one bit." She said as they walked.

"I know. Nothing makes sense." He responded. As they reached the end of the walkway, a guard just had to spot them.

"Hey, you!" He yelled out as he ran towards them with his weapons drawn.

"Oh crap!" Jude yelled out as they drew their own weapons. Before he even got to an inch of them, Jude attacked.

"_Demon Fist!"_

A white shockwave travelled across the floor and hit the guard. Stopping him in his tracks, giving Chris ample time to run towards him and swing her sword, giving the guard a wound to the back. She kicked his back and jumped backwards.

"_Demon Fang!"_

Another white stream of light travelled across the ground and hit him as Jude attacked and delivered an uppercut, which finally took him down. Shrugging the attack off, they continued and climbed the stairs to the upper walkway. Turning up front, they saw that there was a Sol Cat in front of them. It growled at them and Chris responded by throwing a dagger at its head, killing it.

"Good girl." She said as she took the dagger from the cat's head. Without any other words, they headed upstairs. Jude held his hand out to signal Chris to stop moving. They saw a girl their age with white hair and looking no older than they. She entered the room with weird, shaky steps.

"Huh? What's a girl like her doing here?" Chris wondered out loud.

"Maybe she works here." He answered. "Come on."

They continued on and followed the girl into the room. What was odd was that it was still dark inside. They were no experts but weren't you supposed to turn on the lights in a dark place?

"Now, she either has night vision or she just doesn't like lights." Chris quipped as they walked.

"Maybe it's both. But…where did that girl go?" Jude asked, neither of them hearing the clicking sounds of a keyboard on a control panel. As they walked past a tube with green liquid in it, they heard someone knock on it, startling them. They both peered into the tube and were startled upon realizing who it was trying to communicate with them.

"P-professor?" Jude asked out loud.

"Do you get what he's saying?" Chris asked and Jude shook his head. She clenched her fist and punched the tube, not even making a dent on it. She pulled out her sword and swung it at the tube, but it just bounced off. They watched as Professor Haus lost consciousness and dissolve into wisps of mana.

"Wha-what just happened?" Chris asked as she jumped back in fright and the lights finally came to life. To both their shock and Chris' morbid amazement, they saw more tubes with green liquid, containing people in them. They were slumped down and unconscious, not even certain if they were alive. The two medical students couldn't tear their eyes from the scene as they kept turning around; trying to fathom just what the hell is going on in this place.

"So you're the visitor I heard about." They heard a voice say. Looking up, they saw the girl in red on the upper platform with the control panels. She looked at them with an unsettling gaze that gave them shivers down their spines.

"Enjoying the view?" She asked them with a smile.

"What is this place!? What did you do to our Professor!?" Jude demanded of her. But instead the girl leaned on the railing and continued giving them an unsettling gaze.

"W-who are you?" He asked her. Chris was speechless and she didn't know what to say. Just who is this girl?

"Your expressions. It's priceless!" She exclaimed in glee.

"Man, she probably has a few screws loose." Chris muttered as she looked up at the girl.

"I love the look of fear in your eyes!" The girl in red declared as she pulled out a sword from her back.

"Uh, scratch that; she DEFINITELY has a LOT of screws loose!" Chris said as she involuntarily took a step back. The girl crouched on the railing before jumping towards them, trying to stab them from the air. Before the attack could land though, they both rolled away. They were flanking the girl now.

"_Demon Fist!" _

Jude used the arte to land a hit on the girl, but she still kept running towards them. She swung her sword and flames came out of it. Jude, however, backstepped just in time before anything hit him and he used his special ability. In a flash, he was behind the girl. He brought his elbow down on her head, followed by an uppercut, then a roundhouse kick. He kicked her once more, breaking her guard and sending her towards Chris.

"_Demon Fang!"_

The arte sent the girl flying on her back. She stood up as Chris was running towards her, sword in hand and she used her own arte.

"_Blazing Ring!" _

She lifted her sword and two of the prongs blades opened as a small tornado of fire surrounded her. Chris braved the fire and thrust her sword out, hitting the girl on her shoulder.

"You're gonna regret that, kid." She seethed. Before she could attack Chris, Jude came to the rescue, punching her in the back and shoulder, followed by a flurry of uppercuts. The girl, however, decided to put a good distance away from them and planted her sword on the ground. Before they knew it, she an arte ring surrounded her and the spell of her choice came out.

"_Fireball!" _

The fireball hit in Jude straight in the chest, which gave Chris ample time to run towards her. However, she failed to predict the girl's next attack against her. She stuck her hand against Chris's head and attacked.

"_Flare Bomb!" _

With a yell of pain, Chris fell on her back. Jude was just starting to recover and before they can actually stand up, the girl was already running towards them, sword in hand.

"_Grand Fire!"_

Upon impact, the two medical students flew up into the air, not minding the burning sensation they felt. Jude back flipped and landed on his feet while Chris, not willing to lose, did a front flip, ready to bring her sword down on the girl's head when it happened.

"_Fireball!"_

She was hit straight in the chest and she fell on her back next to Jude, unconscious. Jude ran to attack but the girl was prepared once again.

"_Flame Drill!"_

She stuck her sword out and her sword started rotating rapidly as fire appeared in with the motion, hitting Jude in the chest as he was close to her. He fell to the ground in pain.

"Haha! Bet you weren't planning on dying today, boy!" She taunted him. Jude was terrified as he slowly inched backwards, trying to get away from the girl.

"But…I don't want to die." He answered. To be honest, Jude was so frazzled that he doesn't even know why he said that. It wasn't like she was going to spare him just because he said that. "There has to be a way."

"Oh, quit trying to act calm." The girl in red snapped at him. They heard someone enter all of a sudden, bringing their attention towards the intruder. Chris woke up for a second and saw who it was that just entered before falling unconscious again.

It was the same lady as before.

"It's that girl!" Jude exclaimed.

"Ah-ha! So you're the visitor I heard about!" The girl said once again as she picked up her sword. "These guys are no fun. I'll kill you first."

With that declaration, the girl summoned another arte ring.

"RUN!" Jude yelled at the lady, who was summoning an arte ring as well. The lady completed her arte and stuck her hand out, summoning a fireball that hit the girl square in the face, making her fall back down. The lady walked up to one of the tubes and examined it while Jude stood up and woke Chris up, without taking his eyes off of her. Chris got up and saw the lady from earlier. The girl in red rose up as well, rubbing her head.

"I'll rip that pretty face of yours to pieces!" She declared as she started stomping, hopping and giggling around like a child.

"I'd prefer if you didn't." The woman answered calmly and coolly as she drew out her weapon. Sensing another fight, Jude and Chris brought out their own weapons. Before any of them can attack, however, the lady summoned a giant red spirit, which slashed at the girl in red, effectively sending her flying. The spirit gave out an angry bellow, which surprised them.

"No way. Is that who I think it is?" Chris asked in amazement.

"Is that Efreet?" Jude asked her.

"Correct. The Lord of Fire." The Lady answered them.

"I can't believe you were able to summon him." He said, wondering who this woman is. The girl in red fell down in front of them, unconscious but obviously breathing.

"Whoa." They said at the same time. The woman turned to them with a passive look on her face. Maybe a hint of disappointment there, but it was well hidden.

"I thought I told the two of you to go home. Don't tell me you live here?" She asked them coolly.

"No." Chris answered.

"N-no. Of course not. S-sorry." Jude said, feeling nervous around her. The woman turned her back on them and approached another tube.

"Is this the work of a spyrix?" She wondered out loud, obviously talking to neither of them. They both looked at each other and shrugged, not getting what she meant.

"I'm sorry, what?" Chris asked her as she scratched her neck.

"The what-ix?" Jude followed up.

"Could it be connected to the disappearance of the lesser spirits?" She asked, talking to an unseen force.

"Huh? You're losing me. Disappearing spirits?" He asked her. The lady turned to them with a stern look on her face and it gave them shivers down their spines.

"The both of you really need to go home. Someone might not swoop to your rescue next time you're in trouble. It's blatantly obvious that the two of you are still inexperienced in fighting." She told them. Ouch. Well, that just took a small chunk of their prides. Jude looked down and to the tube where Professor Haus was with a forlorn expression while the older woman approached the unconscious girl.

"The spyrix must be somewhere else." The lady declared as she looked at what seems to be a key card that she took from the girl.

"Hey, wait." Jude called for her. The lady turned and looked at them. Chris looked at Jude as well, eager to know what he had planned.

"We're kinda trapped in here. If our Professor was with us, they might've let us leave. But…"

"He's kinda dead. Yeah, probably." Chris added as she wringed her hands.

"So, can we come with you?" Jude requested.

"Ha, I see. If you stick with the person who saved you, you wouldn't need any more saving. Clever boy." The lady said.

"Boy? You're not that much older than us." Jude exclaimed as he walked up to her and held his hand out. "My name is Jude Mathis. This here is my friend, Christina Aifread."

"I'm Milla." The woman, Milla, said as she shook his hand, then Chris'. "Milla Maxwell."

Chris raised an eyebrow upon hearing her last name. Not a lot of people share a name with the Lord of Spirits after all.

"Now, unless you'd like to get arrested; I suggest we get a move on." Milla told them. They both nodded and followed her out of the room. When they got out and after taking a few steps away from the room, they stopped in their tracks upon seeing their Lilium orbs.

"Hmmm? What's going on?" Milla asked as she examined the orb.

"Our Lilium Orbs are shining." Jude pointed out. Chris was thoroughly examining her orb and it caught him off guard when he saw that she had two instead of just one Lilium orb. Even more so when he noticed that her Lilium orbs were melded together. There was only one possible explanation for it.

"I've been wondering what this thing is since I set off. My handmaid told me I had to carry it with me." Milla said as she set her Lilium orb away.

"It comes in handy if you face monsters. It gives you the power to fight them." He answered as best as he could. "I got one myself when I left home. Just in case. Here, I'll show you how to develop them."

Jude showed Milla how to develop her orb as best as he could. It seems like Milla understood the mechanics of a Lilium orb.

"So, that's how it works. This is my first time developing it, too." He said.

"I see. So it's a tool that taps into inherent abilities. I imagine that powerless humans never leave home without them." She said, a bit condescendingly.

"You talk as if you're not human yourself." Jude pointed out.

"Guys, can we get a move on? This place is giving me the creeps." Chris requested as she tightly clutched her Lilium orbs, as if they were giving her strength.

"Yes, I suppose we should." Milla said as she crossed her arms. They started walking almost immediately. Unable to take the silence, Jude started talking.

"Milla Maxwell? Must be pretty weird having the same name as the Lord of Spirits."

"Not at all. We are one and the same." She answered.

"Huh?" Chris said out loud in confusion.

"I-I'm sorry?" Jude asked, confused as well.

"I am Maxwell. Lord of Spirits." The older woman confidently said.

"No way." Chris said in disbelief. "We always thought Maxwell would be a crusty old man with a long white beard and glasses instead of a busty, what I estimate to be, 20-year old."

"Come on! You're totally human. You…" Jude paused and examined her before continuing with a blush. "…look just like a normal woman."

"I would hope so. That is the form I created for myself."

They're not gonna lie; the image of a crusty old man with a long white beard and glasses in the form of a beautiful woman sent shivers down their spines and made bile rise up on Chris' throat.

'_Don't think about the disturbing image, Chris. Just enjoy what you're looking at right now.'_ She scolded herself.

"The form you created?" Jude asked in amazement. After that, they continued onward.

* * *

**SKIT: Chris' Lilium orbs. (Jude, Milla and Chris)**

**Jude: **Hey, Chris, I was just wondering. How come your Lilium orb seems so…developed?

**Chris: **Oh, I left home when I was 12. Like a couple of months before I arrived in Fennmont. I've been around the block before deciding to go to Fennmont to be a doctor so I was constantly fighting monsters so that must've been it.

**Milla:** Oh? And how long did you travel?

**Chris: *contemplates* **Hmmm…let's see; I left home at around Procella nearly 3 years ago and I arrived in Fennmont at Aqua for the entrance exams so…3 months.

**Jude: *surprised* **You travelled and battled monsters for 3 months? That wasn't an easy feet for a 12 year old.

**Milla: *amazed* **I agree. Most 12 year olds would run in the face of danger.

**Chris: **In my defense; I was 6 months shy from turning 13 that year.

**Jude: **Still. Though I do wonder; what's up with your Lilium orb.

**Chris: *nervous chuckle* **W-what do you mean?

**Jude: *shyly*** It's just…you have two of them melded together. You wouldn't happen to be a Lilium Twin, now would you?

**Chris: *surprised* **That's just a myth and I have no idea what you're talking about. Oh look! A Sol Cat's about to come towards us; I better go and kick its tushy now before we become its next meal. ***leaves***

**Jude: **Well, that escalated quickly.

* * *

And indeed; Chris kicked the Sol Cat's tushy. They moved on after that, battling numerous guards, spirit channelers and Sol Cats because Milla couldn't keep a lid on it and just kept attacking them. They entered the next hallway using the girl's keycard and continued on; once again fighting against the Research Center's security. They entered one room in the middle of the hallway and were surprised at what was inside.

"What the-"Chris exclaimed as she took a step back in surprise.

"What is that?" Jude asked.

"A spyrix weapon…I knew it." Milla said as she looked up at the contraption sitting in the middle of the room. Jude and Chris walked up to the control panel and examined it. He put his hands in the control panel and started fiddling around with it.

"Jude, stop touching stuff. You could get us killed or activate it." Chris scolded him. After a while, Jude found what he wanted to find.

"'The Lance of Kresnik'? That's the name of the sage from the Genesis Age." He said.

"You mean that old man who was a follower of Maxwell whose disciples were the founders of the Six Ruling Houses? The old man who was a follower of THAT Maxwell?" She asked, pointing at Milla behind her.

"That's the one." He answered her. They suddenly heard something from behind them. Turning around they saw that Milla was summoning something.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Jude asked her. A glyph appeared and with two hand gestures, the glyphs of Efreet, Sylph, Gnome and Undine appeared in the smaller circles.

"Hmph, so this is what humans call 'irony'. Naming this weapon after Kresnik." She contemplated. "Listen up! We must destroy that which harms man and spirit!"

With a wave of her hand, The Four Great Spirits appeared before them; startling the two medical students.

"Oh, holy crap." Chris muttered. "Aren't they-It can't be. The Great Four?"

"So, those are the Four Great Spirits. So that really makes her Maxwell?" He asked out loud. Paying them no heed, the Four Great Spirits moved in unison and summoned a large glyph over the weapon, with Milla aiding them. They both took a step back beside Milla and Chris noticed something from the corner of her eye. It was the girl in red.

"Hey!" She yelled out to distract the girl. The girl turned towards her and Chris threw a dagger at the girl but she was able to dodge it, simply causing a clean cut on her cheek.

"What are you doing here?" Jude yelled at her.

"It doesn't matter why she's here!" Chris snapped at him.

"You…are really starting to make me angry!" The girl yelled out. Then she started to press some buttons on the panel, opening the Lance of Kresnik. Chris ran towards the girl and tackled her to the ground. It was too late, however, as the Lance has started to absorb mana from all of them.

"What the hell is wrong with you, lady?" Chris said as she struggled to stand up, using the control panel as a crutch and started pressing the buttons necessary to turn it off.

"What the heck is going on?"

"Fool! Are you insane? Don't you know this is going to drain you too?" Milla yelled out at the girl, who was now having a smack down with Chris. The girl grabbed her by the waist and brought her down with her, being aided by the force of the Lance's power.

"Aha! Hahahaha! Your suffering…it's-it's worth it!" She yelled out triumphantly before falling over unconscious. Chris crawled up and looked at the control panel once again. She pressed a few more buttons that was meant to shut down the Lance but a message popped up instead.

"_Power at 75%. Unable to shut down." _Was the dreaded message.

"It's acting directly into our mana lobes!" Jude said.

"Destroy it now! It's our only chance. I can't shut it off!" Chris yelled as she fell over in pain.

"This wasn't a part of the plan! But it's nothing I can't deal with!" Milla declared as she struggled to walk to the control panel in front of them.

"Are you gonna try and stop it? Do you even know what you're doing?" He asked her. Once Milla took another step towards the cylindrical contraption, a purple glyph appeared before their feet.

"Milla, look down!" Jude warned her.

"Huh?" She wondered as some form of purple vine constricted them. Milla looked up to the Four immediately. "Stop or you'll be dragged in with it!"

"What are you doing?" Chris asked as she painstakingly crawled towards them, stabbing her daggers on the floor and dragging herself with it. Milla ignored her in favor of reaching out and taking hold of the cylindrical object in front of her. Jude was forced to his knees, nose bleeding for defying gravity. Suddenly, he and Chris felt something in their heads.

"What was that?" Chris asked him.

"Huh? The Four Spirits?" He wondered out loud. Looking they saw the Four looking at them, as if they were pinning their hopes on them.

"_Please take her. The two of you need to get her away from here." _A feminine voice, no doubt Undine, spoke in their minds.

"_You're our only hope. Please save Milla." _A cute squeaky voice said.

"Wait…take Milla and then run?" Jude asked them. "Huh? What? What are you trying to do?"

"That's easier said than done." Chris struggled to say. Without another word, the Four willingly gave themselves up to the Lance, the shockwave knocking the two of them back, Milla being able stay where she was due to her strong grip on what she was holding. The walkway to the door was about to collapse underneath their feet.

"We gotta get out of here!" Chris yelled at Milla, who simply pulled at the object, causing another shockwave and completely destroying the catwalk. Jude was able to get a tight grip on the debris, Chris grabbing his leg while Milla fell to the other side of the debris. The green cylinder that she was holding regressed into a small circular object. She tried to summon Sylph but to no avail.

"Jump! We'll catch you!" Chris yelled out but it was too late; Milla fell to the waterway below before she can hear her.

"Damn it." Chris muttered. Looking up at Jude, she shook her head.

"Well one of us has to ensure she can swim. It's not like we have a way out of here too." She said before letting go of his leg and free falling below. Reluctantly, Jude let go and fell down with a frightened yell.

* * *

On the other side of the room, a shady looking man with messy brown hair and a brown coat was silently observing the events. Amused, he walked away with a small smirk on his face.

* * *

**AN: And that is Chapter II of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Wew, this thing took me like 14 pages. I know some of you might be mad or slightly annoyed that I didn't make it so that Chris could prevent the capture of the Great Four but seriously; where's the driving point in that? I mean where's the fun? Anyway, thanks for reading. Please leave a review. You know you want to. *wink wink nudge nudge***


	4. Chapter 3: To Auj Oule

**AN: Hi-lo, everyone! This is GroundZeroFirework with the new chapter to ToX: The Lilium Twin. I happen to be free from college workload right now but don't expect that to last long as Finals week for College students in the Philippines is fast approaching and with it; my chance to get into a better University as I frickin' hate my school right now. Gunning to get into University of the Philippines or University of Santo Tomas here! Anyways, I'll stop ranting now. Here's the third Chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Thanks to those who reviewed and gave their favorites to this story. I really appreciate it.**

* * *

**CHAPTER III:**

**TO AUJ OULE**

* * *

Once Jude landed on the water, he was swept away to the waterway outside Laforte, near where they first saw Milla. Once he was able to get his bearings, he looked around for Milla and Chris. From the distance, he saw Milla flailing as Chris tried to restrain her and swim to safety at the same time. He started swimming towards them immediately.

"Geez, lady, stop flailing! I'm trying to save your life here!" Chris yelled but Milla couldn't hear her. Chris wrapped her arms around her waist to restrain her but it was no use; it was like dealing with an octopus! As Milla flailed, Chris started blushing as she was able to cop a feel of Milla's breast by accident numerous times. Stunned by what just happened, Chris realized too late that Milla's elbow was coming towards her and it hit her square in the face. With a sickening crunch, Chris lost consciousness and fell underwater.

"Hey, Milla! Calm down!" Jude yelled as he seized Milla by the waist and started swimming towards the stairway. Jude put Milla in dry land before going back underwater, surfacing about a minute later with an unconscious Chris in tow.

"Chris! Wake up!" He said as he slapped her face. Chris groggily opened her eyes as Jude examined her. Her nose was at a weird angle and there was blood dripping from it.

"Jude…my nose is broken. Do me a solid and set it back for me, would you?" She rasped out to him. Jude placed both his thumbs in her nose and set it back. Another crunch was heard and Chris winced in pain and sat up before using Healer on her nose. Milla was rasping and coughing out beside them while Jude tried to catch his breath.

"You okay? Guess swimming isn't one of your powers, huh?" Jude asked her in worry.

"It's not as easy as Undine makes it look." Milla answered as she tried to catch her breath. Chris stood up and wiped the blood off of her nose.

"Next time someone tells you to calm down, will you please calm down? We could've ended up dead back there." Chris reprimanded her to which Milla only nodded.

"So…you really have lost the power of the Four Great Spirits?" Jude asked her. Milla turned around and looked on without saying a word.

"What are you going to do now? There's no way you could destroy that device without their power." He added.

"Going back there would be suicide." Chris said as she rubbed her face.

"You both have a point." Milla said. Suddenly, she looked up as if she just realized something.

"Perhaps if I were to return to Nia Khera…" She said as she crossed her arms and gripped her chin with her fingers. Chris promptly froze.

'_Well, that's a place I haven't heard of in a long, long time.'_ She thought to herself.

"Jude, Chris, listen, the two of you have been a great help. Thank you. You both should go home now."

After that, she walked away like it was no big deal.

"Wait!" Jude said as he made a move to follow her but Chris grabbed his shoulder.

"Maybe we should let her go. If we follow her, we could be mistaken as her accomplices. Then we wind up expelled. Not now, Jude. There's too much at stake. We have a few months left before graduation, let's not throw that away. Let's just go home."

Jude looked down in contemplation. He knew that Chris had a point but he felt like he couldn't just leave Milla alone. Still if his father hears about this, he's in for a lot of trouble.

"I-you're right. Let's go home." He said and they climbed up the staircase. When they got to the platform, however, they stopped in their tracks.

"Damn it." Chris said as she looked at the scene in front of her. Milla was picking a fight with another guard. Jude ran towards her immediately.

"Milla!" He called for her. Milla saw the two from the corner of her eye.

"How foolish of you both. You should've gone home like I asked." Milla remarked as she held her sword in one hand.

"We ain't the one blocking the way to our dorms, lady." Chris sarcastically remarked. She was hungry and tired and she wanted to go home so she can rest.

"You two in cahoots with her?" The guard asked. Chris and Jude's eyes widened.

"N-no!" Chris exclaimed. This is exactly what they feared. Milla tried to swing her sword at the guard, albeit lamely, compared to how she fought earlier. They were beyond shocked by this.

"What? Haven't you wielded a sword before?" Jude asked her.

"Of course, but I've always relied on the Four's power to guide my arm." She proudly answered. "It feels quite different without their help."

Chris slapped a palm to her forehead in exasperation.

"Why did I see this coming?" She mumbled.

"Come quietly or else!" The guard threatened them. Jude ran up beside Milla and drew out his bracers.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." He said. Chris rolled her eyes and ran up to their side, bringing her sword out. The sentry attacked them and Milla ran around him, weakly swinging her sword, hitting him in the side. Jude ran up to the guard, delivered a quick uppercut, sending him flying to Chris, who delivered an arte.

"_Demon Fang!" _

The sentry was sent flying and hit the ground, knocking him unconscious. They all tried to catch their breaths, still not fully recovered from their run-in with the Lance.

"What's gotten into me?" Jude asked as he put his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths.

"Damn right what's gotten into you!" Chris yelled at him in frustration.

"You two have saved me once more. Thank you." Milla said as she turned to them.

"Listen, you'd better get out of Fennmont while you can." He told her.

"And don't come back. For a while, at least. The military would be hunting you down." Chris added as straightened up.

"Right. You have my gratitude." Milla answered.

"The city entrance is always crawling with police. You'd be safer heading for the seahaven." He tipped her.

"Hmmm…the seahaven." She said as if it was the first time she's heard that word. Milla turned around and started looking around. Crossing her arms, Chris sighed in frustration.

"Do you even know what a seahaven is?" She asked her. Milla didn't respond to her question, instead sighing in frustration before crossing her arms. Jude let out a deep sigh before slumping a bit.

"You…don't know where it is, don't you?" He asked. "This way."

Jude turned and Milla followed him. Chris rolled her eyes before turning to the sky and raising her arms.

"What did I do, huh?" She asked as if addressing some unseen power before following the other two. Someone has to keep an eye on them.

* * *

"I'm sorry for putting you both in this situation." Milla said with downcast eyes as they walked.

"It's fine." Chris said as she scratched her chin.

"It's okay. We owe you for saving our lives. We can show you to the seahaven." Jude offered her as he led the way. They entered the central plaza, which was crawling with the police.

"Okay. Act calm and natural. Try not to look suspicious." Chris said as they walked as calmly as they possibly could. They were edgy with the amount of manpower in Fennmont right now. They walked towards Talim Medical School and made a turn towards the seahaven. Chris stopped and looked at the place for a while.

'_Why do I feel like this'll be the last time I'll see this place for a while?' _She mused to herself before running after Jude and Milla. They finally arrived at the seahaven. Thankfully, the last ship hasn't left yet. As they were walking towards the boarding area, they heard a voice call out to them.

"You three! Stop right there!"

They froze and turned around, seeing a handful of soldiers running towards them.

"Huh? What's going on?" Jude asked while it dawned on Chris what was happening.

"Oh, no." She mumbled. A familiar face wearing a soldier's uniform ran towards them.

"Doctor? Doctor Jude? From the Medical school?" The man asked in surprise.

"M-Mr. Eldin." Chris and Jude exclaimed in surprise.

"Doctor Chris too. I didn't want to believe it. Shame; my wife was thinking of having you both for dinner tomorrow night." Mr. Eldin said sadly.

"W-what's going on here?" Jude asked him.

"I can't believe you're the ones we're looking for." He said. "Jude Mathis. Christina Aifread. I have warrants for your arrests. There's one for that woman with you too."

"Warrants of Arrest? Us?" Chris asked in disbelief. That's it. It's over. Their futures are spelled out for them. They just signed their expulsion papers.

"I'm authorized to use force if necessary but I don't want to hurt either of you." He told them.

"But wait, just…hold on a minute." Jude pleaded with him. "We may have done a little breaking-and-entering but that hardly makes us public enemy number one!"

Mr. Eldin and another soldier simply raised their weapons and pointed it at them.

"So much for that. It looks like they aren't listening." Milla said. Chris was about to fall on her knees as her eyes widened.

'_I'm sorry, Ethan. It looks like I can't be a doctor for you after all.' _She mentally said.

"Mr. Eldin!"

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid I have my orders." He said.

"Jude, Chris, I can't let them capture me." Milla said as she brought out her sword. "I'm afraid I have to resist."

"Then we'll do it the hard way. Go on, get her." Mr. Eldin ordered. The channeler summoned a fireball, which they were fortunately able to dodge. The two medical students stared in shock as the fireball exploded behind them. The people ran and they heard the ship blaring its horns, signaling its departure.

"This is goodbye. Forgive me for all of this." Milla told them before running off.

"Think your next moves carefully, Doctors. The more trouble you give us, the harder your sentence."

"It's just that…I just wanted to…" Jude muttered out as the soldiers closed in on them.

"But…we did nothing wrong…" Chris mumbled. Before the soldiers could seize them, a man with brown hair wearing a brown coat grabbed the soldier's arm, punching him, Mr. Eldin and the last guy. The man fixed his scarf before speaking.

"Well, aren't these military types brave, protecting the world from pipsqueaks like you."

"Wh-who are you?" Jude asked in wonder. Chris, too, stared in amazement.

"I'd save the chit chat for later if I were you. Your lovely lady friend's about to set sail."

"Wait, but I…we…"

"Listen close, kids." The man said as he put his shoulders around them. "The military issued your warrant and with the Military Powers Act invoked, you're x-marked criminals. If they catch you, you'll both face…execution."

"But I don't want to die." Chris said dumbly.

"What, execution?" Jude asked in surprise. More soldiers came running towards them and likewise, the three of them took off running as well. Alvin grabbed Jude while Chris ran as fast as she could ahead of them.

"Well, ain't she a spitfire." He said as he watched Chris jump up on top of the crates and into a wooden beam, mustering as much speed as she could before taking a leap of faith into the ship, doing a barrel roll to break her fall.

"I hope you're sturdier than you look, because we're about to do what your friend just did!" The man said as he did the same things Chris did. Only, he wasn't able to do a barrel roll and so they crashed on deck, with Jude landing on top of Chris, who was just starting to get up.

"Ouch. Get off of me. I think I bit my tongue." Chris mumbled out. True enough, there was some blood flowing from her mouth. Nothing that wouldn't heal in a couple of seconds though; the tongue is the fastest healing appendage of the human body, after all. Jude got off and tried to recover and so did they.

"What's going on here?" A crew member demanded of them. The man in the brown coat looked up and gave a charming smile.

"Military's doing drills or something on shore. We were just getting out of their way." He answered smoothly. "Come on, do you really think a pipsqueak, two pretty girls and a dashing man like me would be up to no good?"

Milla watched the scene with a questioning look on her face.

"Umm…" Jude began.

"It's Alvin." The man, Alvin, introduced himself. Chris straightened up immediately. She could swear she's seen this guy before. Back when…

'_This guy…no way!' _She mentally panicked.

"That's my name. You said you're Jude, right?" He asked him.

"Umm…yes, sir. This is Chris." He answered, pointing to the girl behind him. Chris puffed out her cheeks and tried to avoid eye contact. "And this is Milla."

Milla walked up to them. Alvin patted Jude, who was moping, on the shoulder.

"Hang in there, kid." He said before looking at Chris. "Hey, haven't I seen you before?"

* * *

**SKIT: Alvin and Chris (Chris, Alvin and Jude)**

**Alvin: *contemplating* **Hmm…I could swear I've seen you before.

**Chris: *nervously* **Wh-who? Me? Well, I did get around the block for a while 2 years back so yeah…maybe you've seen me around.

**Jude: **Umm…Alvin, do you know Chris here?

**Alvin: **Hey, I remember now! ***glares* **You're the kid who stole my job 2 years ago. Weren't you who they called the 'Honorable Mercenary'? It's not really honorable for you if you stole my job once now, is it?

**Chris: *sighs* **I was hoping you'd forget about that. No point in hiding it now. But seriously, you were the one who didn't approach the client immediately. I just beat you to the punch.

**Jude: *surprised* **Chris, you were a mercenary!?

**Chris: **Well, yeah. I still am. I do odd jobs here and there. How do you think I paid for my tuition in Talim Med?

**Jude: **I just assumed you're from a rich family who sends you money.

**Chris: **Well, you know what they say; "A lot of people die from the wrong assumptions".

**Alvin: *surprised* **You were a Med student!? I thought you were a simple mercenary or an Auj Oule spy or something, judging by your clothes.

**Chris: **For the last time; I am not a spy. I have different reasons why I wear these clothes. Anyways, I'm sorry for stealing that job from you. I needed the money to gain passage to Fennmont.

**Alvin: *smirks* **It's fine, kid. No biggie. It was 2 years ago, anyway.

**Chris: *smiles* **Thanks.

* * *

Later on, Chris and Jude were leaning by the starboard side of the ship, watching the ocean scenery when Milla and Alvin, who were called by the Captain, returned.

"That captain needs to lay off of us a bit. Is he planning to grill us the entire voyage?" They heard him say as he put his hands behind his head.

"What do you expect? We don't have any sort of identification." Milla answered, putting her hands on her hips and leaning her weight on one leg.

"Speak for yourselves." Alvin said. They saw the two kids leaning on the side, looking so gloomy that at first glance you'd think someone just murdered their beloved pet and sent them the head. Alvin approached them, to see if he can get a rise out of them.

"I can't believe we're heading to Auj Oule." Jude said as he looked down. Chris clenched the wood in her hands.

"Yeah. After nearly 3 years, I'm finally coming home." She stated as she leaned her back on the wood. Jude's eyes widened. Chris was never really the type of person to spill everything there was to spill about herself. In the 2 years that everyone in Talim has known her, they hardly knew anything about Chris' origins. Where she came from, her family, hell they don't even know her favorites. Back then, they mistook Chris to be Professor Miller's daughter because of how they communicated. It was akin to a daughter sassing her mother, sometimes. Even though she did have few friends, she mostly kept to herself. Today, Chris has just talked and told Jude more about herself in 5 minutes than she ever has in 2 years.

"You're from-"

"Auj Oule? Yeah. Why do you think I have this type of clothing? I ran away from home when I was 12." She answered, running a hand through her hair.

"And why's that?" Milla asked her. Chris' eye twitched and looked away.

"M-Mom died when I was 5, Pops dumped me with his sister and I had my breaking point when I was 12 so I left."

"D-did your dad not love you?" Jude asked her.

"Au contraire; he loved me so much that he became paranoid regarding my well being after my mom died." Chris said with a smirk. "I-I'd rather not talk about this anymore."

"Look, we're leaving Fennmont's Spirit Clime." Alvin pointed out. They all looked up and saw the clear blue sky. Jude was amazed while Chris started hissing like a snake and covered her eyes as she slumped down.

"H-hey, you alright there?" Alvin asked as he patted her back. Chris adjusted her eyes and looked up at him. He freaked and involuntarily took a step back.

"Whoa, what's up with your eyes?" He asked. Jude walked up to Chris and pulled her eyelids down. Her eyes were bloodshot with tiny red veins appearing nearly everywhere.

"You okay? You wouldn't happen to have eye problems now would you?" He asked her.

"No. I don't. It's just been awhile since I've seen the sun." Chris answered as she rubbed her eyes.

"How long is a while?" Milla asked her. Chris thought about it and started counting with her fingers.

"Almost 3 years." She answered with a smile like it was no big deal.

"3 years!?" Jude asked in amazement. "H-how does that happen?"

"Well, when I travelled back then, I made it a point to travel by night. I never liked the sun too much since I was a kid anyways so I was sleeping at inns whenever it was morning. Then I arrived in Fennmont, where the sun never rises." She answered as she looked up. "It's beautiful though. It's nice to see it after so long."

'_Ethan would've loved this.' _She thought to herself as she crossed her arms.

"So you're both med students. Can't say I expected that." Alvin said. Jude and Chris turned to him after that remark.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" He said. Alvin threw a hand up in a gesture that tells him it's okay to ask.

"Why did you save us? What's in it for you?"

"Cash, of course." He answered. Chris' eyes widened in a questioning manner.

"How does saving us make you money?" Milla asked, crossing her arms.

"Simple. I figure you must be in serious trouble if the military's after you."

"Ah, of course. The old 'force your services into people' tactic." Chris said, shaking her head and crossing her arms in disapproval. That was one tactic she never liked. Like Alvin said, she was the one they used to call as the 'Honorable Mercenary'. She only accepted jobs from people who actually needed a mercenary to do their work for them (and there were a LOT of people who needed mercenaries), she did her jobs to the letter as instructed and only accepted the promised payment, never asking for more cash despite the troubles the job gave her, even if it was offered.

"Now that I've swung to your rescue and impressed you with my derring-do, I can charge you for my services." Alvin said with a smile, like he thinks he's so sly.

"Charge us what? I'm nearly broke." Jude said. Well, that surprised Alvin.

"Same goes for me, I'm afraid." Milla said. Now, he was shocked.

"And me. Even if I did have my money right now; I wouldn't pay you for it." Chris said. The other two turned to look at her with a questioning look. "What? I'm a mercenary; cash is the fruit of my labor. It's really counterproductive if I gave it to another mercenary."

"As can be expected from the 'Honorable Mercenary'. But seriously? I take more than just cash, you know? Don't you have precious metals? Jewels? Rich relatives about to croak?" He asked them with a playful wink. At the mention of 'Jewels', Chris' right hand involuntarily flew to her left ring finger.

"Nothing on me. Everything happened so fast." Jude answered sheepishly.

"I doubt I have anything that would sell for a high price, either." Milla said, putting a finger to her cheek in contemplation. They all turned to Chris, who shook her head in response.

'_NO WAY, JUDE! You can't take Mom and Ethan's rings.' _She thought to herself as she clutched her left arm.

"What exactly is it you do, Alvin? You look like a soldier but you don't act like one." Jude asked him. Chris rolled her eyes and slapped him in the back of his head.

"For an honors student, you're so slow. Seriously? Did you not infer what his job was from what he said?" Chris scolded him.

"Heh, you're on the right track, kid. I'm a mercenary, like Little Chris over here." He answered, putting a hand to his forehead and giving them a playful wink. "It's better than being a soldier. We don't have to follow orders. We set our own hours. And we help people…for a price. Just ask your friend here. I'm sure she can testify to how enjoyable it is."

"It kinda is." Chris simply responded.

"Well, it would seem like you helped us for free." Milla said.

"Ah, well, it's a risk of the trade. Maybe I'll find some paying customers in Auj Oule." He answered, letting it go and turning his gaze to the deep blue sea.

"Sorry about that." Jude said, his tone sincerely apologetic. Alvin waved the apology off before speaking once again.

"Charity work…wonderful. Are we there yet?"

They all sighed and simply waited for the hours to pass by until they can arrive in Auj Oule.

* * *

**AN: Wew! Gonna have to cut this one short, guys. It's getting longer and I really need to learn how to keep a lid on it. You know, learn to limit how many pages one chapter should get. Otherwise, this is gonna be a really short story. Anyways, starting this chapter and onwards, the review rule that I've stated in Chapter I (after the OCs chapter) takes effect at right about…NOW. Okay, for those of you who have no idea what the review rule is, please return to Chapter I and read my ANs over there for a better understanding. Thank you. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'll try and belt out Chapter IV as quick as possible. Please leave a review or favorite this story. I know you want to. I really appreciate it if you do and Thanks in advance for those who will. Til next time, guys. See ya, later!**


	5. Chapter 4: In Aladhi

**AN: Ayt! Chapter IV is here! I actually have nothing much to say right now. But here's one; I'm certain you guys have seen the new cover of this story. Just to be clear; the cover isn't mine because I can't draw or edit stuff for shit. So rightful credit goes to the reviewer Scarkan Volkhanir for taking some of his precious time off to make a cover for this story. So, hat's off to you, friend. Anyways, thanks to those who reviewed and gave their favorites this story though. And now without further ado, I give you wonderful Tales lovers Chapter IV of ToX: The Lilium Twin.**

* * *

**CHAPTER IV:**

**IN ALADHI**

* * *

When they arrived in Auj Oule, night was almost upon them. The sun was setting and soon enough it would be replaced by the moon **(1)**. They got off the ship and Jude stared around, trying to recognize his surroundings. He felt somewhat frightened of being in a different country altogether, while Milla and Alvin were just okay with it. After all, they most likely came from here. Chris, however, was having a nostalgia trip.

"Ah, the Aladhi Seahaven. The first place I remember as a child and the last place I saw before leaving for Fennmont." She said, turning her gaze to the inn. Suddenly, a scene flashed before her mind's eye, as if the past and the present were melding together. It was the first thing she usually remembers about her childhood. She unwittingly visualized a specter of her and a boy who was about the same age as her with short, wavy brown hair. They looked no older than 4 years old. He was pulling her hand and they ran towards the docks to watch the sunset. When she fell down, he pulled her up, dusted her off and wiped her tears away before kissing her injured hand. He sat there with her and they watched the sun go down and they heard a sweet voice call for them from the inn.

"_Chris! Ethan!" _

'_Mom._ _You were always there for us. And Ethan. My sweet older twin brother.' _She thought as she watched the sunset and twirled the rings beneath her glove. Chris didn't feel the single tear fall from her eye as she stared beyond. It would only be a few months later after that day that she and Ethan would be robbed of their mother.

"Hey, Chris!" A gruff voice called out for her. She snapped out of her reverie and the specters disappeared. Chris turned around and saw Alvin looking worriedly at her.

"Yeah. Hang on!" She said as she ran towards them. Jude was still looking glum before turning to Alvin.

"It's hard to believe we're in a whole different country. Although it kinda feels like home." Jude said.

"Hmm? Well, this part of Auj Oule is hardly what I'd call exotic." Alvin replied.

"You want exotic? Go to Xian Du." Chris said as she crossed her arms and leaning her weight in one leg. Jude sadly looked down for a second before snapping his head back up and shaking it.

"Huh. Hey, there's a map. Let me check it out for a bit." He pointed out before running towards it.

"Hey, hold up!" Chris yelled as she ran after him. Alvin approached Milla as they observed the two 15 year olds.

"They're brave kids, I'll give them that. The way they play it cool. Even though the girl was mercenary, she probably got used to her life in Fennmont after she's almost left it behind." He said as he watched them.

"Decided to make the best of it, have they? They're not as immature as they look." Milla said with a small smile.

"Would it kill you to show some concern? You dragged them into this, right?" Alvin admonished her as he crossed his arms. Putting a hand on her hip and leaning her weight on her left leg, Milla responded.

"He insisted on helping me. The girl just tagged along to keep an eye on him. I told them again and again to go home, but they wouldn't listen. They're here of their own accord."

"Heh, I see. They believe they got themselves into this mess, so now they have to put on their brave faces."

Milla ignored him and walked up to Jude and Chris, leaving Alvin to himself.

"Either way, they're still acting like adults." He mumbled to himself.

Meanwhile, Milla was looking at the map as well, looking for something.

"North of here." She said to herself as she found what she was looking for.

"What is?" Chris asked in curiosity as Alvin was approaching them.

"Hmm…so? You leaving now?" He asked them.

"No…" Milla answered. Jude and Chris turned towards her in curiosity. "Alvin, you must be well versed with a sword. Mercenaries like you must have some battle chops."

"Well, yeah, of course." Alvin responded, wondering where she was going with this.

"Could you teach me how to use one?" She asked him. Alvin was surprised by the request. "I don't have the Four to back me up anymore. If I can't wield a sword, what's left?"

"The Four? I'm not sure I follow. But why don't you ask the Honorable Mercenary here? I'm sure she can show you the ropes." He said. Chris raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms in disapproval.

"I suck at teaching. You do it." She deadpanned.

"Oh, well, when you put it that way; I'd be happy to teach you, if only you had some cash." He said, running a hand through his hair.

"So, you won't help?" Milla asked him.

"Oh, no. I will; seeing as how your friend over there seems to be hiding something. Something valuable." Alvin said. Jude and Milla turned to Chris, who promptly froze.

"Chris, what are you hiding?" Jude asked her.

"Nothing valuable, that's what." She answered as she scratched her neck.

"Riiight…looks like I won't be helping Milla, then." Alvin responded. Jude grabbed his arm and turned to Chris.

"Chris, please." Jude pleaded with her. By all means Chris had every right to rebuke Jude but she remembered something that Ethan told her merely days before he died.

"_Now remember, sister. If you know that someone, whether they're weak or strong, needs your help, it doesn't matter what the conditions are; you should do your best to help them. With our current…circumstances, we're in no position to refuse the people of our help."_

Chris gritted her teeth and clenched her fist before unclenching it and sliding off her left glove, revealing two rings; one silver and the other gold. Alvin whistled while Jude and Milla were surprised.

"Wow, you can use that as down payment." He said in amazement as he examined them as Jude let him go. Chris pulled her hand away and took the rings off.

"Down payment? You're insane. These rings have a huge sentimental value to me. You'll only hold on to this to ensure one of us pays you; that's your gambit isn't it?" She asked him. "I'm a mercenary, just like you, Alvin. I know the old tricks of the trade."

Alvin smirked at the kid's perceptiveness.

"Heh, you're right. That is my gambit. As much as I hate gambling, I have to have some form of insurance now, don't I?" He asked, holding his hand out. Chris sighed and put the rings in his palm.

"Lose them and I'll kill you. And don't think I don't know that you're still trying to get back at me for 2 years ago." Chris said as she donned her glove once more. Milla crossed her arms and pinched her chin in observance as she watched them.

"The rings seem to hold a lot of sentimental value for you. I wonder why." She said. Chris sighed before answering and rubbed her forehead.

"The gold ring was my mother's wedding ring. She gave it to me before she completely kicked the bucket. The silver one was my brother's. He gave it to me before he…before he left me."

Realizing that they may have stepped on an emotional landmine, they decided to let it go.

"Don't worry, kid. I'll take care of your rings." Alvin said as he pocketed the rings. "Here, how about we make some moolah while I teach you?"

"What do you mean?" Jude asked him. Again, Chris slapped him up in the head.

"Well…there's gotta be some paying customers here in the seahaven, right? Let's take a look around." He answered.

* * *

And indeed, they did find a paying customer. The customer was a woman asking them to deal with some monsters at a lake west of the seahaven. But before they set out to deal with them, Alvin thought of something first.

"About your sword training…the monsters aren't going to just stand there like training dummies, you know." He reminded her. "Let's go over some basics first."

"I appreciate it." Milla said. Alvin took them to the side, so as not to hurt people or draw too much attention with their training. Jude and Chris sat on the bench as they watched Alvin train Milla.

"So…you do have a brother?" Jude awkwardly asked Chris, who sat there with her arms crossed and her eyes closed.

"Yep." She answered without so much as opening an eye.

"I thought you didn't have one." He answered as he gazed at Milla and Alvin once again.

"Did you assume?" She asked him.

"No. You told us that at Laforte." Jude defended himself.

"First off, I said I wasn't a Lilium Twin. I never said I didn't have a brother." Chris responded, cracking one eye open and peeking from it.

"Is he your twin?" Jude pressed her. Instead, Chris sighed and closed her eye once more as if she's ignoring him. After a few minutes, Alvin and Milla finished their sparring session.

"Well, that'll do." Alvin declared. Giving a small smile, Milla sheathed her sword once more.

"You have my gratitude."

The two 15 year olds walked up to Milla with a small smile in his face.

'_Huh…Mathis seems genuinely cheery when he's in front of her…' _Chris thought.

"Shall we go?" He asked.

"Wait, Jude. You and Chris should take a moment to consider your situations." Milla told them. "You both don't have to stay with me anymore, you know."

With those words, Jude suddenly looked crestfallen.

"R-Right…" He said with a sad tone in his voice.

"Now that we've crossed the border, it'll be a while before any pursuers from Rashugal get here." Alvin noted.

"What are you suggesting?" Milla asked him.

"Just that they still have some time to think things over." He answered.

"Sorry, we'll make up our minds by the time you set off." Jude told her, looking at Chris for approval, who merely shrugged in response.

"Okay, very well. Now let's go and complete that request." She told them. Chris followed Milla while Jude and Alvin stayed behind for a bit.

"You both thought you were doing the right thing and now you're on the run." Alvin said. "Pretty tough lesson for kids your age."

"Yeah but I brought this upon myself. And even though Chris was only following her Professor's orders, I can't help but think that I brought this upon her too." He answered maturely before turning around and running after Chris and Milla. Alvin smirked and shook his head.

"What a responsible kid." He muttered before following them.

* * *

As they walked to the entrance of the seahaven, Milla decided to ask Chris something with Alvin and Jude listening in not too far behind.

"You seem to know your way around a fight. How'd you learn?"

Chris stopped in her tracks and crossed her arms before looking off to the side.

"Pops started teaching me and my brother after our mom died."

"Oh, how come?" She asked, putting a hand on her hip and leaning on one leg.

"First off, we live in Auj Oule, where fighting is basically second nature to us. And secondly, like I said, he was paranoid regarding our well being. I guess he wanted us to know how to defend ourselves in case the people who killed our mother came back for us. He wasn't always around so we had to defend ourselves and our aunt." Chris answered as they continued walking, not realizing that she just let slip the circumstances of her mother's death.

"Wait, killed?" Alvin asked in surprised.

"Your mother was murdered?" Jude asked. Chris' eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her mouth before bringing it down after a couple of seconds. She sighed as she nodded.

"No point in hiding it now. Yes, she was murdered. She was stabbed in the throat." Chris answered as she looked down, trying to stop the painful memories of red mingling with white from a decade ago. "L-Let's just finish that request."

With that, they continued onward. Jude never realized just how much emotional baggage Chris was actually carrying on her shoulders. That was most likely the reason why she kept him and their friends at arm's length. They kept walking, none of them saying anything else. When they got to the Aladhi trail, there was a pack of monsters standing there, as if they were waiting for them. Milla's Lilium orb started shining all of a sudden.

"Huh? My Lilium orb is shining." She pointed out. Jude and Chris' Lilium orbs started shining as well.

"Mine too." Jude said as Chris pulled her Lilium orbs out.

"Wait, you guys have orbs too?" Alvin asked in surprise before breaking out into a wide grin. "Great! We should try linked combat!"

Chris paled at his words.

'_Crap. I'm willing to bet gald to donuts that by the end of this fight, they'll figure it out.' _She thought to herself.

"What's that?" Jude asked him in curiosity.

"Lilium orbs are handy things. They let you sense your companion's intent. That's a huge advantage in battle. You can coordinate your thoughts and pull off combination attacks. We call this Linking." He answered as he twisted his wrist.

"Basically, it's like reading each other's minds." Chris said as she scratched her neck.

"Sounds great but how do we do it?" Jude asked in curiosity, wanting to know more about Linking.

"Try and see it for yourself. Focus your consciousness into the Lilium orb." He answered. They pulled out their weapons before attacking.

"Jude, link with Milla!" Chris ordered him. Jude focused his consciousness into his Lilium orb as did Milla and their orbs linked with one another. Alvin tried to do the same with Chris but he couldn't. It's as if something was blocking him from linking with her orb. Jude approached one of the monsters while Milla flanked it from behind as Chris attacked the other with an arte.

"_Tiger Blade!" _

The monster was injured and staggered back, but he was not felled. Jude and Milla attacked the monster they were handling in unison. Jude punched and kicked it while a blue force field, controlled by Milla, appeared, giving him free reign to attack however he pleases.

"_Cerberus Strike!" _

After his arte, it was Milla's turn to attack. However, she moved a bit too slowly as Jude was slashed by the wolf's claw, spilling a bit of blood from his arm.

"_Rock Trine!"_

A bunch of sharp rocks erupted from the Earth and injuring the animal.

"Try some Linked artes!" Alvin told them as he attempted to aid Chris. Upon using their own artes, by pure instinct, Jude and Milla were able to do a Linked arte.

"_Final Gale!"_

Finally, the monster was felled, just as Alvin and Chris finished up their monster. Before anybody could say anything else, Chris continued walking to avoid the confrontation that Alvin would no doubt bring up. She overhead Alvin and Jude talking about Alvin testifying to the courts how they're just poor kids who got sucked into the wrong things; something that she doubt he could accomplish. After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at the lake where they saw a Merfish and two Crabs.

"What the hell?" Chris muttered out, frowning in confusion. "Are they even supposed to be here?"

"Those must be the monsters we're supposed to get rid of." Jude noted.

"Indeed. They certainly aren't normal fauna for this area." Milla observed.

"Alright. Let's get the job done." Alvin declared and they attacked. After Chris' slash at the Merfish missed, it jumped and was about to butt its head and bite her but she was able to block it with her sword, making it bite the blade instead. She threw it off and stood up before attacking once again.

"_Burning Havoc!"_

Jude and Milla took care of one crab while Alvin took on the other. The crab grabbed Alvin's leg with its pincer, but he quickly shot it before it can do any damage. He once again tried his luck in linking with Chris but once again he failed. He decided to confront her on it later. After a series of slashes, he used his arte to finish his opponent off.

"_Sonic Thrust!"_

As he expected, the monster was felled. He moved in to help Chris, who was having little to no trouble with the fish out of water that she was fighting. The Merfish hit Chris on her shoulder with her weapon, injuring her and forcing her to step back to use an arte. She has to remind herself not to be too careless.

"_Healer!" _

A green light surrounded Chris and healed her and her allies nearby. After that she moved to attack the Merfish, giving it no room to attack with her series of slashes and stabs.

"_Tiger Blade!"_

The Merfish was finally defeated while Jude and Milla were just finishing up with a Linked Arte against their own crab.

"_Igneous Crush!"_

Fists of rocks showed up and took the crab down, killing it and completing their job. After they put their weapons away, Jude approached Milla while Alvin and Chris took the time to catch their breaths.

"You okay?" He worriedly asked her. Milla turned to him to answer his question.

"I can't complain. No better training than an actual battle."

With a small smile, Alvin decided to no longer be the silent observer.

"You got that right. Let's head back to the Aladhi Seahaven and make a report." He told them. The other three nodded and they started walking, with Chris and Alvin taking the lead.

"Think he digs her?" Chris asked Alvin, both discreetly looking back at Jude and Milla, who were lagging behind a couple of inches away.

"Too early to tell. For all we know, it could be hero worship." He answered. Chris shrugged, accepting his answer as plausible and they continued to walk. Suddenly, Alvin said something that sent a shiver down Chris' spine.

"Hey, kid. Don't think I don't know that you're hiding something." He said. Chris stopped in her tracks and turned to him.

"Oh, really. Enlighten me, o great mercenary. You know, between the two of us, you're more shadier than I am." She drawled as Jude and Milla approached them.

"What's going on here?" Milla asked them. The younger girl crossed her arms and she looked down.

"I tried linking with the little lady here earlier. Problem is; I can't. It's as if something was blocking me from her Lilium orb." Alvin informed them. Jude was finally fed up with Chris' secrets.

"Enough secrets, Chris. You really are a Lilium Twin, aren't you?" He asked. Chris licked her lips and rolled her eyes. "You have two Lilium orbs, you're immensely fast and powerful and not to mention intelligent, seeing as how you managed to master healing artes despite having no prior experience and you can't link with anyone else. The only plausible conclusion is that you are a Lilium Twin; only…your twin is dead, isn't he. I'm right, aren't I?"

Chris was both surprised and frustrated at how Jude figured all of it out just by observing her. She struggled to keep her composure and prevent herself from punching him as an outlet, but thankfully she managed to stop herself.

"How did you know all that?" She finally spoke.

"Remember what Professor Haus once taught us. 'Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable has to be the truth.'" He reminded her. Of course. It's impossible for her to have owned two Lilium orbs at her age and with only 3 months of fighting experience prior to this.

"Howe's Egg Principle, I remember." She said. Sighing, Chris spoke up again after a few seconds.

"Well, you were right; I am a Lilium Twin. I didn't tell you because my family instructed us to never reveal that information. More so when I went to Rashugal. Who knows how many people would try and use me as a weapon for their own gains? And yeah, my twin brother is dead. Murdered just like our mother when we were 12. That's why I left. That's why I became a doctor. To save lives the same way he saved mine. Satisfied? You just became the first person to figure out the mystery that is Christina Aifread."

They all sensed the bitterness in Chris' voice. Only, they didn't know if it was directed at Jude; for unraveling her secrets all at once, at all of them; for bringing it up or her remembrance of her twin's death. Finally, Alvin decided to break the awkward silence.

"I've heard of the myth of the Lilium Twins, but I never thought it would actually be true. Hey, honors student, mind refreshing my memory?" He requested of Jude, who relented, happy to share the information.

"Well, it's a popular story in both Rashugal and Auj Oule. They say that when Rieze Maxia was newly formed by Maxwell; two brothers, the first pair of Lilium Twins, were born. When they came out of the womb, it was said that they were both clutching their own Lilium orbs. No one thought much about it but as the twins grew up, the people noticed that they were extremely powerful with their orb and even more so when they fight together. Despite that, they were humble. Eventually though, one of the Twins was murdered by a jealous warrior but the surviving twin decided not to take revenge on him. Instead, he opted to live his life for the both of them. And he did. For 200 years."

Alvin was surprised by the lifespan of a surviving Lilium Twin. He almost wished he was one. Almost. Who'd want to live for 200 years anyway?

"_200 years_!?" He asked in surprise.

"Correct. For 200 years, rumors spread that there was an extremely powerful warrior, who used two Lilium orbs that were melded together. When the twin finally died after 200 years, they say that he looked no older than 50. And then apparently, every few hundred years, a pair of twins clutching Lilium orbs in their hands was born and when they grow up, they become the most powerful warriors of their generation. Though no one knows why they were born like that though." Jude finished. Milla crossed her arms and decided to sate Jude's curiosity.

"In that case, let me answer that for you; I put the Lilium Twins in Rieze Maxia, thousands of years ago. Back then, I can sense the Lilium Twins regarding their whereabouts and their well-being but ever since I took on a human form, I seem to have lost that ability, which is why I didn't know that Chris was a Lilium Twin or that her twin even died."

"What does she mean that she 'put the Lilium Twins in Rieze Maxia'?" Alvin asked Jude.

"I'll tell you later." The young man answered.

And once again, the image of an old man with a beard in the body of a younger woman popped up in Chris' head again, reviving the urge to barf. Thankfully, she resisted it.

"Why would you put us here?" She asked the older woman.

"Simple; I needed someone to protect Rieze Maxia in case a huge threat arrives. That was the only time that I intervened in human history. Lilium Twins are usually the offspring of a powerful person. With the proper training, they are nearly unstoppable in battle. However, like with Chris and the first Lilium Twin's cases, when one of the twins die, they inherit their deceased sibling's Lilium orb and are given a 200 year lifespan, invincibility and near eternal youth. Chris, keep in mind that just because you are invincible, that does not prevent you from dying from illness, murder, battle wounds or accidents." Milla told her. Chris nodded in response. Milla pondered on whether or not she should continue and relented, deciding that Chris deserves to know about her brother's current state.

"Also, are you familiar with the Reincarnation legend?" Milla asked her.

"Of course, I lived in Auj Oule. The faith in reincarnation is strong, especially in Xian Du." She answered, scratching her neck. It dawned on her where Milla was going with this. "Don't tell me-"

"Yes, it's very much true. However, as long as you live, your brother cannot be reincarnated as a spirit and therefore, he cannot be reincarnated as a human. The only way you're both connected now is through your Lilium orbs. He cannot talk to you but he can simply watch and aid you."

Chris was shocked by this revelation. Where does that put Ethan right now?

"So…where's my brother?" She asked, wanting to know.

"In the Spirit World without a vessel." Milla answered like it was no big deal. "Don't worry. He's perfectly safe and waiting for you. He still retains his previous memories and personality."

"Still doesn't explain why no one else can link with her." Alvin said as he crossed his arms.

"When one of the Lilium Twins die, they become constantly connected to their deceased twin in battle. It was the only way I can ensure that the surviving twin can protect Rieze Maxia on their own. I know that it's a huge burden to place on your shoulders but I think you're alright for now, aside from the threat of spyrixes." Milla said, before uncharacteristically cuddling Chris.

"What are you doing?" She asked as her blushing face was put in between Milla's breasts.

"She's cuddling you." Jude answered with a small smirk on his face, remembering that Milla did it to him in Laforte while Chris wasn't looking.

"I know that. But…why?" Chris asked with a straight face. Judging from how red her face was probably getting, it's a miracle her nose isn't bleeding yet.

"Why are you asking? I say just sit back and relax." Alvin said with an amused smirk in his face.

"I've read that humans feel better when you cuddle them." Milla answered. "Is it working?"

Even Chris has to admit that it is.

"Yeah, it kinda is." She said before pushing Milla away. "Let's just go back and report on this job. Maybe get some sleep."

After that, she walked away. Not seeing a room for argument, they followed after her.

* * *

**AN: Okay and that is Chapter IV of ToX: The Lilium Twin. I hope that this chapter answered your questions regarding what a Lilium Twin is, their origins and their abilities. If you guys have any questions, you're welcome to send me a review or a PM. Also, I know that the fight scenes are bad but I'm actually inexperienced with writing fighting scenes as my forte is usually Romance stories, sans the fighting. However, I will try to improve them, however, so worry not. What else? Oh, a shout out to those who noticed that I pulled a Final Fantasy XII in this scene. Oh yeah; the number. Here's what it means.**

**1 – If I'm not mistaken, I think Aladhi Seahaven is one of the parts of Auj Oule that has a normal Spirit Clime. Correct me if I'm wrong though.**

**Anyways, please leave a review or a favorite if this chapter is to your liking. I really appreciate it. Thank you! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Until next time! **


	6. Chapter 5: The Plan

**AN****:**** Hello everyone! I'm back with the new Chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Wow, I have nothing much to say except thanks to those who reviewed and left their favorites on this story. And now let's get it on.**

* * *

**CHAPTER V:**

**THE PLAN**

* * *

After a few more monsters in their way here and there, they finally got back to the Aladhi Seahaven and approached the lady who hired them.

"Those monsters won't be tinkling with your water supply anymore." Alvin told her with a smile.

"Wonderful. Thank you for your help." The lady told them with a bright smile as she paid Alvin. Alvin turned to them with his arms crossed.

"And that's how you do it." He said with a grin. "More where that came from too. Lots of people with problems out there and gald to make them go away."

"You're a real pro at this, Alvin." Jude said in amazement.

"Yeah, sure. Let's head for the inn." He said. Jude and Alvin walked ahead of Chris and Milla. The younger girl noticed that Milla suddenly stopped in her tracks and she looked dead tired.

"Milla?" Chris asked as she put a hand on her shoulder. To her surprise, Milla collapsed in her arms.

"Whoa! Easy there." Chris said as she tried to hold Milla up and be able to stand at the same time. Jude and Alvin turned back to them and immediately ran to their aid.

"Hey. Hmm…no fever." Jude said as he checked on Milla. Chris checked her pulse afterwards.

"Holy crap! Her pulse rate is extremely low. Similar to someone starving themselves." She exclaimed with a surprised look on her face.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"I don't seem to have any strength." Milla answered as she unconsciously held onto Chris' hand. Jude suddenly thought about Chris' observation regarding her pulse.

"Um…have you been eating properly?"

"I've never eaten." She said without missing a beat. They both looked at her with incredulous looks on their faces.

"Ever?" Jude asked her.

"Through Sylph, I drew life from the air. With Undine's power, I received sustenance from the water." She answered. Chris rolled her eyes; they should've seen this coming. They really should have.

"What's she talking about?" Alvin asked in confusion.

"I guess the Spirits gave her all the energy she needed." Jude replied as he looked up at the older man before turning to Milla.

"Well, now you're gonna have to nourish yourself the old fashioned way." He told her. Sensing that Milla wanted to sit up, Chris helped her and propped her up.

"I see. So, this is what you humans call hunger." She said with a dazed smile on her face. "Hehe…fascinating."

"So…should we rest at the inn?" Jude asked them.

"Now that you mention it; I could use some grub myself." Alvin answered. Truth be told, Chris could use some food too. She hasn't eaten since breakfast earlier that day.

"Right. Let's go." Chris said as she put one of Milla's arms around her shoulders and hoisted her up. Milla barely had the strength to walk, making it a bit hard for Chris to walk and aid her. But thankfully, they made it to the inn. Alvin approached the innkeeper once they were inside.

"Welcome!" The innkeeper jovially greeted them.

"Three rooms, please. But before that, can we get something to eat?" He requested. Chris and Jude were getting alarmed by Milla's state; she was panting like a dog, starting to slump over and looked downright ready to pass out. Combine all three of these and Chris was already having a hard time propping her up.

"Oh, my apologies, but our cook isn't in yet." The innkeeper said apologetically. His mouth hung open in worry upon seeing Milla's state.

"Hey, is she okay?" He asked just as Milla completely slumped over.

"W-whoa! Help." Chris pleaded as she tried to prop Milla up. Jude sighed in exasperation before turning to the innkeeper once again.

"Why do I keep on doing this?" He muttered to himself. "Can we at least use your kitchen?"

"Yes, please, help yourself. Your friend looks like she's about to pass out." The innkeeper said. Alvin and Chris led Milla to the dining area while they waited for Jude to finish cooking dinner.

"Heh…my stomach…it really is growling." Milla said in amusement. "And here I thought it was just a silly human expression."

They both couldn't help but roll their eyes at that.

* * *

After waiting for nearly an hour, Jude came out of the kitchen with their food. Mabo Curry by the looks of it. They all helped themselves to their portions and started eating. They ain't gonna lie; they were surprised with Jude's cooking prowess.

"Hey, not bad." Alvin said as he ate.

"Not bad; it's good!" Milla praised him, making Jude blush.

"If I'd only known you can cook, I would've strong armed you into making me dinner instead of going to the Hotel Fenntasia every night to eat." Chris jokingly said with a small smile.

"Yes. I quite enjoy ingesting calories with you." The older woman said with a smile. "Humans should learn to cherish these simple pleasures."

All of a sudden, upon remembering his situation, Jude sadly looked down.

Once they were done eating, they were surprised at how Milla passed out on the table once their plates were out of the way.

"This might be her first time sleeping, too." Jude said out of the blue.

"And apparently, she never ate before today, either. Also, she claims that she's the one who put the Lilium Twins in Rieze Maxia. Who in the world is she?" Alvin asked them.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you." Chris said, leaning her cheek on her knuckle.

"Oh really? Try me." He dared them. Chris gestured for Jude to tell Alvin just who Milla really is.

"She claims she's Maxwell."

Alvin's eyes widened in disbelief.

"THAT Maxwell?" He asked and they nodded in response.

"Yeah. She's apparently a spirit in physical form." The younger man replied. "Not just any spirit. The Lord of Spirits. Wielder of the Four Elements. The Eldest Spirit…Maxwell has many names."

"And now we add Milla to that list? She's supposed to be the Spirit Maxwell? You gotta be kidding me." Alvin said as he looked at the sleeping woman.

"Told you; it's hard to believe. Can't say we blame you if you don't." Chris said as she crossed her legs.

"Never said I didn't." The gruff mercenary said.

"Is Maxwell really that mighty?" Jude asked him.

"Of course. That's why this is all so hard to swallow." He said before turning his gaze to Milla again. Chris and Jude tried not to laugh or even giggle. If any of their few male friends were here; the dirty jokes regarding that statement would be endless. It kinda brought a pang to their hearts.

"I grew up hearing bedtime stories about Maxwell." He added, snapping them out of their reverie. Jude turned his gaze to Milla again.

"What in the world would a spirit like that be trying to destroy?" He muttered to himself. Unfortunately, this statement did not escape Alvin's ears.

"Trying to destroy? What're you referring to?" The mercenary asked him.

"She called it a spyrix, I think." He answered. "The device from the laboratory. Maybe I should just ask Milla about it."

"First off, I don't think that's a good idea. And secondly; what makes you think she'd answer that question?" Chris told him as she leaned on the table.

"I have to agree with the little lady here. You have a nasty habit of poking your nose where it doesn't belong. Your accursed curiosity made us wanted people, you know." Alvin reminded him. It made Jude think if it's even a good idea to ask Milla about it.

"Well, think hard before asking, okay?" He added. Jude turned to Alvin with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, you're right. Both of you." He said. Chris sighed and scratched her cheek.

"Well, I think someone should bring the Lord of Spirits here to our room. Alvin, you mind?" She declared. Alvin stood up and brought Milla in his arms. For some reason, Jude can feel his face involuntarily scrunch up at the sight as he watched Alvin bring Milla up to her room with Chris following them. Still; why would he make such a face? It's not like he's jealous that Alvin can do that, right?

Wait, is he?

* * *

The next morning, Jude woke up in his room when the sun's rays hit his face. He stood up and put his boots and his coat on once again before washing his face and leaving his room. Checking Alvin's room next door, he saw that the mercenary was nowhere to be found. He checked Milla and Chris' room next, which was just across the hall from Alvin's. Opening the door, he took a peek and saw that it was just Chris sleeping in the room. Chris shifted and he noticed that she had a scar on her neck. From the looks of it, it seems like a knife wound. Shaking his head, he closed the door to give her a few more seconds of shut-eye. He remembered that Chris was once called the 'Sleeping Beauty' in school because of her reputation for sleeping in classes. Professor Miller straightened her out though.

"I should go look for Milla and Alvin." He decided before heading downstairs. True enough, Milla and Alvin were having a conversation in the lobby.

"Good day, Jude. I was just about to share my plans with Alvin." Milla greeted him.

"Hang on, where's the little lady?" Alvin asked Jude.

"Still sleeping. She kinda has a reputation of being a heavy sleeper." He answered sheepishly.

"No, I don't." A sleepy voice spoke up. Jude turned around and saw Chris walking towards them, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and holding her jacket in her hands. One thing's for sure; Chris has a bad case of bed head. Realizing that they were staring at her head, she immediately put it in a ponytail.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked them.

"I'm thinking of returning to Nia Khera." Milla told them.

"Is that your hometown?" Jude asked in curiosity.

"More accurately, that's where my shrine is." She responded. Jude's mouth hung open in surprise.

"Your shrine?" Chris asked in disbelief.

"If I go back, I might be able to re-summon the Four." Milla added with a hopeful tone in her voice.

"So, she really is Maxwell." Alvin muttered to himself, not knowing that Chris managed to hear him.

"This is where the two of you come in. Will you both accompany me to Nia Khera?" Milla requested of them.

"What?" They asked at the same time in shock.

"It's true that both of you brought your current situation upon yourselves, but I bear some of the blame as well. I'll put in a good word for you both with the people of Nia Khera. I'm sure they'll look after you." She assured them. They both thought long and hard about this offer.

"Wow, you've put a lot of thought into this." Alvin said as he leaned against the wall.

"Yes. Remember when you told me I seemed unconcerned? I decided to take that to heart." Milla said as she crossed her arms.

"Milla, you don't need to practice your swordplay anymore?" Jude asked her.

"No need to concern yourself with my martial abilities." She told him with an amused smile.

"Well, if nothing else, you know how to swing the pointy end." Alvin said. Another moment of silence before Jude answered.

"Okay, I'll go with you." He said with a determined tone. Milla looked expectantly at Chris.

"I-well…might as well. I don't want to go home to my Aunt a wanted fugitive. Maybe I'll lay low for a bit."

"Good, you needn't worry." The older woman said with a small smile.

"A little more practice wouldn't hurt though." Alvin said.

"You think so?" Milla asked him.

"Better safe than sorry. Come find me once you're ready to go." He told them as he stood up straight.

"Wait, you're coming with us, Alvin?" Jud asked in surprise as Alvin walked away. He waved his hand as he continued walking.

"Eh, why not? I've come this far."

Chris followed him outside as she put on her jacket.

"Hey, Milla." Jude called for her. Milla turned to him immediately.

"Thanks." He said with a small smile. Milla simply nodded and they followed Jude and Chris out to the Seahaven's entrance. Alvin was leaning his back on the entrance with his arms crossed while Chris was leaning by the shoulder beside him with her hands in her jacket's pockets and looking downright sleepy.

"Ready to hit the road?" Alvin asked, bringing Chris out of her sleepiness.

"Milla, you said it's north of here?" Jude asked her.

"How far?" The mercenary asked for clarification.

"Less than half a day's flight time, if we could fly using Sylph's power." She answered. Red flag! Red flag! Red flag! Jude can already see that Chris is about to make a sarcastic remark from the way her eyes darkened.

"Oh, well, I'm afraid my wings are…you know…nonexistent." Alvin said jokingly. Jude let out a sigh of relief, seeing that Alvin unknowingly managed to thwart Chris' sarcasm. If Alvin can make a sarcastic remark, Chris can make its bite 10 times worse.

"I hope we can find a place to rest along the way." Jude said sheepishly.

"The map showed a village in that direction, so we should be okay." The older man responded.

"Either way, we can't just stay here. We must press forward." Milla declared.

"I know. I know." The mercenary said as he put his hands on his hips. Suddenly, Jude remembered something.

"Where's Chris?" He asked. They looked around for a while from where they were standing before Milla pointed.

"Over there."

True enough, Chris was standing by the weapon shop, examining weapons. The three approached her and they saw that she was donating materials to the shop.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing, kid?" Alvin asked her as he looked on what they were doing.

"You know how I was picking up stuff yesterday? Well it turns out that shops are looking for stuff to use in their craft." Chris reported to them as she rubbed the back of her neck. They noticed that she was eyeing the huge cutlass that just arrived. It seems to be suitable for two handed sword users like Chris. There were also new weapons suitable for the three of them as well.

"Hey, how much are each of these?" Alvin asked the shop owner. The price exceeded 1000 gald but Alvin bought them nonetheless. For some reason; Alvin was loaded right now. He handed the cutlass to Chris as Jude and Milla claimed the new weapons that they just received.

"Here you go, kid." He said. Chris was taken aback by the mercenary's generosity, since their line of work is usually the 'dog eats dog' type of profession.

"Th-Thank you." Chris stuttered as she shyly looked down.

"No problem, kid. Can't let you go running around with a weak weapon now, can I?" He asked rhetorically as Jude and Milla approached them.

"Hey, thanks for the treat, Alvin." The younger man said with a smile as he wore his new Steel gauntlets.

"Yes. Once again, you have my gratitude." Milla said as she put away the Khukuri she just received.

"Like I said; no problem." Alvin said with a wave of his hand. "So, shall we go?"

They all nodded and walked out of the Seahaven. As Milla and Chris walked ahead of them, Jude and Alvin were having their own conversation.

"So…is Milla really that Maxwell? She does act a bit nutty, but she seems normal enough." Alvin stated with a smile as they walked.

"I think it's true. When we first met her, Milla had the Four Great Spirits with her." Jude told him as he looked down on the ground. The memory of yesterday at Laforte still brings shivers down his spine.

"What? Get out of here!" The older man exclaimed.

"No, seriously. Ask Chris if you don't believe me. Fire-spirit Efreet, Water-spirit Undine, Wind-spirit Sylph and Earth-spirit Gnome. It was the first time I've seen them in person but there's no mistaking who they were." Jude defended.

"That's a mighty exclusive club. Can't imagine they hang out with a lot of mortal girls." He said in contemplation.

"Yeah…"He said as they followed after the two girls.

* * *

Chris was walking ahead of her companions in the Aladhi Trail, trying to see if there are any noticeable changes in the place. Not that she was really expecting them. The other three were talking about clothes and something about a scarf or something. Due to her careless wandering, a wolf spotted her. The other three noticed that she wasn't paying attention.

"Chris, look out!" Jude yelled for her. They wouldn't be able to get to her in time since they were too far away. She turned around too late and the wolf jumped her pinning her to the ground. She used her forearm to prevent it from ripping her face off but that obviously did not prevent the wolf from clawing at her. It hit her face both times until her arm slipped and it sunk its fangs into her arm. Chris bit her screams back. Man, it was painful. Suddenly, she saw a blue light coming from behind the wolf. It lifted the wolf up to some degree just enough for Chris to be able to grab hold of its head and snap its neck. She immediately sat up and clutched her arm. Her eyes widened upon seeing what the blue light was.

"Ethan?"

Kneeling in front of her was a blue specter that looked like her brother, Ethan. She can't tell whether or not it's real or just her imagination. Ethan looked just about the same age when he died. 12 years old but a bit tall for his age, giving him the impression of a 15 year old instead. Chris and Ethan both inherited their father's tall stature, making them both tall for their ages. However, it seems like Chris' growth spurts stopped when she turned 15. The specter looked exactly like her brother; wavy hair, a handsome chiseled face and a gentle smile. He didn't have eyes, however, but that didn't bother her.

"Ethan?" She called again. The specter of her brother simply smiled and grabbed her by the neck before leaning his forehead against hers with his gentle smile. And at that moment, the pain from her wounds went away and were replaced by warmth in the areas where her wounds are. It reminded her of the times Ethan would cup her cheeks after she cried or the way he held her hand so that she wouldn't be separated from him and get lost in Kanbalar. She realized then that it was Ethan who was healing her. That's Ethan for you; always helping with a gentle smile.

"Chris!" She heard Jude yell for her as he, Alvin and Milla ran towards them. They all stopped in their tracks a few feet away upon seeing the specter. He smiled at them yet again before vanishing. Alvin helped the dazed girl up before examining her and was astonished by the disappearance of her wounds. They clearly saw that wolf ripping her face a new one and biting into her arm.

"What was that? Who was that?" Jude asked in both curiosity and astonishment. Chris still stared at the spot Ethan was kneeling in.

"M-My brother." She answered as she came out of shock.

"His ghost?" Alvin asked as he crossed his arms. The younger girl shrugged in response and turned to Milla, who had her arms crossed and her eyes closed and was thinking about the phenomena.

"Hmm…it seems like you just found out about this involuntary ability of yours." She said.

"Involuntary…ability?" Jude asked for clarification.

"This is the first time I've seen it as most Lilium Twins aren't as careless as Chris and not all of their twins have died before them. It seems your brother managed to intervene from the Spirit realm to aid you. Sooner or later, when you're in grave danger, it's most likely that your brother will appear again. It seems like, even though he's dead, he managed to retain use of whatever artes he learned when he was still alive. This is something I really did not expect." She replied in amazement.

"Well…we can talk about this later and maybe we should get out of here before more wolves attack. Knowing that species, that wolf's pack most likely isn't far away." Alvin told them. They all nodded and they ran before any more wolves could even spot them.

* * *

**AN: Gonna have to cut this one short guys, it's kinda getting too long. I know it's not the best chapter I've come up with but hopefully the next one will be better. Also, you guys just got a glimpse of another ability that a Lilium Twin has. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the next one, guys! Until next time. :D **


	7. Chapter 6: Directions to Nia Khera

**AN: Have no fear, Chapter VI is here! Okay, guys, I would like to give out my thanks to those who gave out their reviews and favorites to this story. And now, on with the story!**

* * *

**CHAPTER VI:**

**DIRECTIONS TO NIA KHERA**

* * *

The group finally stopped running once they've determined that they were finally a good distance away from the area. They all took a moment to catch their breaths.

"You guys okay?" Alvin asked them. Milla was slumped over, Jude had his hands on his knees while Chris was leaning against a tree. Well, more like hugging the tree.

"Oh yeah, I'm great." Chris mumbled sarcastically. That was probably a stupid question to ask someone who so very nearly got her face ripped off by a rabid animal. After a couple of minutes, they recovered and stood straight.

"Ready to go?" The older man asked them and they nodded. The group continued walking, taking down a couple of monsters that got too close to them here and there. They heard Alvin sigh all of a sudden.

"That was quite a sigh." Jude said. Alvin ran a hand through his hair as he turned to them.

"So seriously, you guys are spying for Auj Oule, right?" He asked. Chris groaned at the question.

"What? Of course not!" Jude said in surprise.

"For the hundredth time, NO! We are not Auj Oule spies." The younger woman said, the exasperation obvious in her voice.

"Really? Because I've never heard of the Military Powers Act being used against anyone other than Auj Oule spies." The older man said with a smug smile on his face.

"Y-you're thinking too much into this." Jude exclaimed.

"Why are you so concerned about this? Unless you're spying for Rashugal." Milla tried to deduce.

"No, no. I was just thinking that if you were spying for Auj Oule…maybe you could use your connections to score me some high-paying intelligence work." Alvin defended himself.

"Sorry to disappoint you. But I assure you, I will pay your fee." Milla told him. "You just have to wait a little longer. I hope you don't forget to return Chris' rings as well."

"Fair enough. But even with your "special friend" discount, the interest is piling up."

"Hey, if it's Intelligence work you're looking for, I can help you out there." Chris offered with one hell of a poker face.

"Wait, seriously? How do you intend to do that?" Alvin asked her.

"Yeah, Chris, how?" Jude asked in curiosity.

"I have connections in Auj Oule. Extremely powerful connections."

"What kind?" The Lord of Spirits asked her.

"Let's just say…my dad is close to the King of Auj Oule. I'll ask him to put in a good word for you." She answered like it was no big deal.

"Seriously?" Jude exclaimed in surprise.

"Seriously. Not gonna ask you to believe me, though." Chris said before she continued walking. As they walked, her three companions discussed the Great Four after Milla complained about walking. Chris just had to stop and give her an incredulous look after she called the Four Great Spirits a…what was it she said? Ah, yes; "A bunch of bickering in-laws that never go home." Her childhood must've been extremely eventful if she was raised by spirits who act like bickering in-laws. Upon seeing a prickle spider approaching them, Chris pulled out her cutlass and attacked it.

"_Sonic Thrust!" _

The arte wounded the spider and made it fall on its back. Jude and Milla rushed at it and each used their own arte.

"_Splash!"_

"_Soaring Vortex!"_

Seeing that the spider was now weak enough to be taken down by one last arte, Alvin attacked.

"_Demon Fang!"_

As expected, the Spider fell down. Dead.

"Phew…well, that was easy." Chris remarked as she put her cutlass away.

"I wouldn't underestimate monsters if I were you, kid. If you ask me I think your years in Fennmont have made you complacent." Alvin said as he started walking. They started fiddling with their Lilium orbs as they walked. To break the silence, Jude spoke up.

"Compared to Fennmont's Night Clime, the sky in Auj Oule sure is bright." He stated as he looked up to the sky.

"That's true. The Spirit Climes here are much more stable." Alvin informed them.

"I don't like it; it hurts my eyes and my skin." Chris said as she rubbed her eyes.

"No wonder everyone thinks you're as pale as a ghost. You haven't seen light in nearly 3 years." Jude said with a sigh.

"What are you talking about?" Milla interjected. "What do you intend to climb?"

"You got hearing problems, lady?" Chris asked her sarcastically.

"We're not talking about climbing. We're talking about Climes. C-L-I-M-E. Surely the great Lady Maxwell knows all about the subject?" Alvin asked her.

"Don't flatter yourself by assuming I know every arbitrary word you humans create. Human arrogance is so trying." Milla said in exasperation.

"Milla, do you know what Rieze Maxia is made of?" The young man asked her as they walked.

"As if I wouldn't know? The power of spirits composes the entire natural world." She answered.

"Right. The terms "spirit clime" refers to the balance of spirit power. And when that power is out of balance, nature can become polarized in one direction. That's why there are unusual spirit climes, like the perpetual night of Fennmont." Jude patiently informed her.

"I don't suppose Chris' issues are connected to that now, are they?" She asked him.

"What issues?" The girl in question exclaimed.

"Chris' issues are more psychological, I think. She's just like that because she hasn't seen light in nearly 3 years." He answered her with a small smile.

"I see. Thank you. Now I understand. You're very good at explaining things." Milla praised him, much to Jude's delight.

"My pleasure."

"Oh, I see how it is. I guess I'm just an arrogant human compared to lil' ol' innocent Jude." Alvin jokingly complained.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what she thinks." Chris said as she walked on ahead of them.

"Hey, don't wander off now!" Jude called after her.

"You're not my dad!" She yelled back as she waved her hand in dismissal of his warning. Milla observed the banter in curiosity.

* * *

**SKIT: The History of Jude and Chris (Jude, Milla and Alvin)**

**Milla: *curiously* **Hmmm…you seem to look out for Chris akin to a father or an older brother, Jude. Can I ask why?

**Alvin: **Do you really have to ask? I mean, you did just see her face nearly get ripped off. Can't blame the kid for wanting to look out for her; she's reckless.

**Jude: *blushes* **No, it's not just that. When we first met when we were 13 at our freshman year, Chris looked so lonely. And even back then, she was reckless with things when helping people outside of schoolwork too. She once climbed the roof of the Hotel Fenntasia just to retrieve a little girl's cat and that almost killed her when she fell off. Also that time she went to the Arklund Quag to retrieve a Bog Ribbit's carcass for a graduating student. She came back all beaten and bruised. Now that I look at it, I think back then Chris actually looked like she wanted to die. So some of us decided to befriend her to keep an eye out for her. Partly out of genuine concern but also partly as a favor from her Professor.

**Alvin: *surprised* **Seriously? The little lady was suicidal back then.

**Milla: *sympathetic* **Who can blame her? She just turned 13 when they met, meaning her twin brother has been dead for only 6 months back then. I read in a book that losing a twin is devastating because the surviving twin feels incomplete without them.

**Jude: **And so that's that. That's the reason why I try to look out for her as much as possible.

**Alvin: **That's some serious deed you're doing there, kid. But I'm sure she appreciates it.

**Milla: **Yes, it truly is admirable. I hope you keep it up. She obviously needs it.

**Jude: *chuckles* **Alright. I will.

* * *

Chris was walking ahead of her companions, feeling slightly disturbed as she can feel their stares behind her. As she looked on, however, she stopped in her tracks when she saw what seem to be fences by a cliff. And fences means…

"Hey, I think I just found a village!" She said as her companions caught up to her.

"Well, only one way to find out. Let's go." Alvin said as he walked ahead of them. Indeed there was the village as was shown on the map. It was small and quaint and you can see the towering trees out back from the entrance of the place. They can smell the scent of fruit that seems to be the village's specialty.

"Wow. That's an impressive amount of fruit." Jude said as he looked around. Alvin sniffed for a second.

"I'm catching a whiff of cider. They must have orchards here."

They didn't respond to that seeing as how an elderly woman was approaching them.

"Well, well, well! We don't get many visitors here!" She greeted them with a kind and welcoming voice.

"Do you live here, ma'am?" Jude asked politely.

"I would hope so. I'm the Mayor." The old lady greeted them with a smile.

"Is this the right road to Nia Khera?" Milla asked straightforwardly. No hello's or any other pleasantries, she just get straight to the point, doesn't she?

"Nia Khera? Now that's a name I haven't heard in ages." The Mayor said.

"What do you mean?" The mercenary asked her.

"It's what people called a long-forgotten village. I don't even know if it exists anymore." She answered him. "I've heard tales of the village as a child. People claims it lies beyond the Kijara Seafalls."

"Where can we find it?" Jude asked her.

"You need to cross some seriously rugged terrain to get there. It won't be an easy journey." The old lady informed them.

"In that case, we should probably rest here before heading on." Alvin suggested.

"Agreed." The younger man said.

"I'm afraid our little village doesn't have an inn. Not much call for one. But I have an extra room in my house. You're welcome to use it if you like." The Mayor offered them.

"Thank you for your hospitality, ma'am." Jude said. The Mayor gave them a curt nod before walking away. Milla turned to Chris, who was staring after her.

"Chris, are you feeling fine?" She asked her, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm great. It's just…she looks familiar. This entire place looks familiar." She answered.

"Childhood memories, perhaps?" Jude asked her.

"Yeah, probably. Let's go exploring for now." Chris suggested to them. They all nodded, seeing that it was too early to turn in. They started exploring the village and they walked towards a boy who was looking at something up a tree.

"What are you looking at?" Jude asked him kindly.

"Nothing. Get lost!" The boy told them rudely as he crossed his arms. Chris looked downright ready to strangle the kid. Jude held her hand back to avoid her from walking up to the kid.

"Why you rude little-"

"Wrong answer, squirt. Now we really want to know what you're looking at." Alvin said.

"It's some sort of shiny object." The younger man pointed out.

"It's my shiny object! Finders, keepers." The boy said as Alvin approached the tree and grabbed it.

"Yeah, well, you ain't the one tall enough between the five of us to pluck it off the tree." Chris snapped back.

"Chris, don't pick fights with kids." Milla scolded her, making Chris roll her eyes. Alvin brought the object to the ground and they all gathered around it.

"Hmm…looks like a puzzle. And a difficult one at that." She said. Jude tried his hand at the puzzle and seemingly got it.

"How about this?" He muttered out as he managed to maneuver the last mechanic in.

"Whoa, what's happening?"

Much to their surprise, letters appeared but they had no way of reading it.

"Can you read that?" Chris asked Jude, who shook his head before returning to examine the letters.

"This looks like our letters, but different. More like ancient writing."

"Let's see here…'Heed my words, for I am Aifread, the intrepid explorer who has crossed the world's edge without fear.'" Alvin translated. "Yada, yada, yada. More self promotion…ah, here we go…'At last, I have reached terra incognita. But alas, I am unable to return home. I shall take my many treasures, seal them in arks and scatter them about this land. It is my hope that they shall serve as beacons to those explorers who wish to follow in my footsteps.'"

"I'm impressed, Alvin." Milla said in amazement.

"How the hell can you read that?" Chris asked him. To her, Alvin's getting shadier and shadier each day.

"But I still don't know what it means." The boy said.

"I've heard of this Aifread. He's a legendary pirate. He raided cities all throughout Rieze Maxia ages ago." Jude informed them. "He set off to find the end of the world and never returned. Or so the legend goes."

"Nice of him to put his treasures in these boxes for us." The mercenary said with a smug smirk on his face. The boy stood up in excitement.

"The pirate Aifread's treasures? Ooh! Ooh! I wanna find them, too!" He exclaimed. Milla chuckled at the boy's eagerness.

"Maybe you should learn to read first, young man." She suggested.

"Yeah…good idea. You'll all wait for me, right? And keep this Aifread treasure stuff between us." He demanded of them. Chris wasn't even gonna respond to the kid's rudeness. Milla retrieved what was inside the ark; a purple and mysterious jewel.

"Sure thing, kid. This is just between us." Alvin said, winking at Chris and Jude. After that, they left the boy alone to continue exploring.

* * *

**SKIT: Christina "Aifread" (Jude, Alvin, Milla and Chris)**

**Jude: *contemplating* **The Pirate Aifread…I never thought he'd actually exist.

**Alvin: **Speaking of which, do you have a connection to him, Chris?

**Chris: *nervous chuckle* **Yeah…about that…

**Milla: *curiously* **Hmmm…Chris is exhibiting signs of nervousness. You wouldn't happen to be hiding something from us now, would you?

**Chris: **Yeah…I guess it's time for me to come clean about this; Aifread isn't my real last name.

**Jude: *surprised* **WHAT? You mean you've been studying in Fennmont under a fake name? You do know that's illegal, right? How'd you even do that?

**Chris: *defensively* **First off, I ain't some dumb broad, Mathis. Of course I know it's illegal. And secondly, I know a guy…he got me some fake Rashugal papers before I left for Fennmont.

**Alvin: **Does your Professor know about this?

**Chris: *sighs* **I don't know, actually. Professor Miller has a way of knowing things even if you don't say it. But if she does find out, no doubt she's going to rip my credits a new one. That is if I hadn't been expelled yet…

**Milla: **But why all the secrecy? Why'd you change your name?

**Chris: *solemnly* **Remember when my brother died when I was 12?

**Jude: **Yeah, so?

**Chris: *angrily* **Well, the reason my brother died in the first place was because of our father! He was never there for us in the first place! He wasn't there to protect us when our mother was murdered and he wasn't there when my brother died and I got so mad at him that I ran away. I changed my last name so he and my Aunt can't find me in any part of both Rashugal and Auj Oule.

**Alvin: *frightened* **Whoa, calm down. So what's your real name?

**Chris: **What makes you think I'll tell you that?

**Jude: **So that's a "no" to saying your real name, then?

**Chris: **Yep.

**Jude: **Well, why did you pick that name?

**Chris: **Why do you think? Because of my brother; he loved the legend of the Pirate Aifread and it was the first thing that popped into my head at the time. So…I picked the name in his memory.

**Milla: **Well,I can't say that I blame you for being mad at your father if he was an absentee parent but I also can't approve of your actions. Running away from him won't solve anything.

**Chris: **Well, thanks for the input, lady. But I don't need your approval. I'll deal with my dad when I want to deal with my dad.

**Milla: **I see. So that's your decision. Well, I hope you'll be ready to face the consequences when the time comes, Chris.

**Chris: **Sure, Milla.

* * *

During their exploration, they wandered to the alley behind the Mayor's house. They passed by a tree with red fruits in it.

"Whoa, Napples! Sweet!" Chris exclaimed as she approached it.

"Napple fruits! No wonder it smells so good around here. Wow, look how juicy they are." Jude said with a small smile. Milla was staring intensely at the fruit.

"Mhmm…is that so?" She muttered.

"Uh…Milla…stare any more at that fruit and you'll be burning a hole in it." Chris said as she observed Milla.

"They look like they're at the peak of ripeness. Sweet with just a hint of tartness." Alvin informed them.

"That sounds…interesting." The older woman said in a daze.

"Um…Milla, you're drooling really bad." Jude pointed out to her.

"For some reason I can't make it stop." She answered.

"How about you close your mouth like this?" Chris said as she lifted Milla's lower jaw up.

"Sounds like your body has awakened to the joys of eating." Jude said with a small smile.

"Just keep those mitts off the merchandise. Our rap sheet's long enough as it is." The older man warned them. Chris, however, couldn't resist buying Napples for all of them and an extra one for good measure. She gave Milla one, who gladly devoured the fruit. As they all stood there eating, Chris wandered on her own and stood at the top of the alley's ramp. Straightaway, she suddenly remembered something. She remembered a woman with wavy brown hair, leaning against the fences with her back turned to her. Then, she remembered herself at 5 years old, running down the ramp and towards the woman.

"_Mommy!" _She remembered herself yelling cheerfully. Chris remembered her mother turning towards her but as fate would have it…Chris couldn't remember her face. It's been so long since she's thought about her mother. And she was only 5 when her mother died, so she wasn't really surprised there. But it did hurt her, though. And dare she admit it, Chris was bitter about it. Chris snapped out of her reverie when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Chris, are you alright?" Jude asked her.

"Y-yeah. I just remembered that I have been here before. W-when I was about 4 or 5 with my mother." She told him as Milla and Alvin stopped beside them.

"Really now? Well, what do you remember?" Alvin asked her as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Well, I don't really remember why we came here but I guess it was because mom liked to travel. I remember running towards my mom while she was leaning against those fences. I called her name while running and she turns around and then…"

"Well, and then what?" Milla asked her as she crossed her arms.

"Nothing. That's it. Nothing else. I can't remember my mother's face. I'm drawing up a big blank. I can't remember the shape of her face; the color of her eyes; her nose; her mouth. I can't even remember what she smells like." Chris responded solemnly.

"Chris…" Jude began but was stopped before he can say anything else because Chris started walking towards the Mayor's house.

"Poor kid. Must be hard to lose a mother at such a young age." Alvin said with downcast eyes.

"You sound like you can relate to her, Alvin." Milla remarked.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't." He cryptically answered before walking away.

"Maybe we should turn in for now." Jude suggested to Milla.

"Yes. We should." She answered.

* * *

Later that night, Milla walked out to the balcony for some fresh air. The wind was chilly and the moon illuminated the village named Hamil as they learned earlier. Turning to her left, she saw Chris sitting on the railing, patching up the holes in her jacket with sewing equipment borrowed from the Mayor.

"Can't sleep?" She asked as she walked up to the girl. Chris looked up from her needlework and nodded sheepishly.

"I haven't been sleeping well since my brother died, actually." She admitted as she finished the last hole in her jacket.

"Is it the dreams?" Milla asked her as she crossed her arms. Chris sharply looked up in surprise.

"How do you know about that?" She asked.

"You were crying in your sleep yesterday and I woke up. It sounded like you were begging someone not to leave you." She answered like it was no big deal. Chris looked away, embarrassed that someone saw her in her weakest.

"I…well…yeah…I always relive the day my brother died in my sleep again and again unless I wake up. Though I could swear that I did feel someone's hand on my head and then the dreams stopped." She admitted with a shy blush.

"Oh, so it did work." Milla said with a proud smile on her face.

"What did?" Chris asked her in curiosity.

"I read in a book that putting your hand on someone's head during a bad dream would comfort the person. So that's what I did." She answered. Chris winced on the inside.

"That's kinda creepy. But thanks anyways." She said as she leaned her head against the balcony's post. Milla noticed something in the girl's neck; a scar. She walked up to her and touched it.

"Hey, what the hell?" Chris asked as she stood up from her seat and covered her neck.

"How did you get it?" The older woman asked her. Chris sighed and leaned against the balcony once again.

"My brother wasn't the only one who was supposed to die back then. I was supposed to die as well. Only he saved me; he healed me when he could've used the last of his strength to heal himself. I never really was good at healing artes until I started Medical school so…I couldn't heal him." She said as she clutched the railings tightly. Everything was quiet for a while until Milla spoke up again.

"Mhm…and for that, you decided to become a doctor, I take it? To save lives like your brother saved yours? It's admirable but I think you should let go of his death."

Chris stiffened before slowly turning around to face Milla.

"What did you say?" She asked the older woman.

"I think you should let go of his death. Your brother didn't think twice in saving you. That alone should be testament to how much he loved and cared for you. So, what's there to feel guilty about?" She asked the girl. To her surprise, Chris suddenly grabbed Milla's arm and tightly gripped it. Milla wouldn't admit it but it hurt.

"You know what; you have no right to talk about these things when you yourself have never known loss. I think I have the right to not let go of his death until I get him the justice he deserves." The younger girl said with gritted teeth and anger filled eyes.

"And when is that?" Milla asked her defiantly.

"Until I kill the people who took him AND my mother away from me." Was Chris' answer before she finally let go Milla's arm and walking inside the house. Milla could only look towards the sky before sighing and following her inside.

* * *

**AN: Ayt! And that is Chapter VI. Please leave me a review or favorite if you want to (and you know, you want to) and you guys are welcome to send me a PM or a REVIEW if you guys have questions. I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time! Ciao!**


	8. Chapter 7: The Way Home

**AN: Wew! Term project is over! Just a couple of more days, finals will be here so let's get this shit on! Thanks to those who reviewed and left their favorites for this story. You guys keep me motivated to keep on writing this story. Now, without further ado, let's go on with Chapter VII!**

* * *

**CHAPTER VII:**

**THE WAY HOME**

* * *

When the sun rose the next morning, it was to be expected that Jude would follow only minutes to an hour later. When he was done preparing himself, he went downstairs and outside the house. He noticed that Milla was standing with a hand on her hip by some crates staring at nowhere. He approached her with a small smile on his face; he was feeling giddy for some reason when he saw her.

"Morning. What are you up to?" He asked her. There was a second of silence before Milla answered him.

"Watching people."

Well…that was kinda creepy…

"Oookay…" He said before facing the same direction as her. "So, where's Chris?"

"I think she's at the orchards." Milla answered. Satisfied with her answer, he stayed silent for a while.

"Say, Milla. Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?" Was her only response as she turned to him.

"What's a spyrix?" Jude asked her. "Why were you trying to destroy that device in Fennmont?"

"Spyrix technology is something humans were never meant to have. So, I must take it away from them." She answered as she averted her gaze to the horizon yet again.

"Why?"

"That is none of your concern." She answered with a stern tone, shocking Jude to the point that his mouth hung open for a second.

"So, you don't trust me." He accused her with a sad tone and downcast eyes. He looked up when Milla walked a few feet away from him.

"That's not it." Milla said. Somehow, hearing those words made him glad.

"Look, if you see a toddler playing with a knife, what would you do?" She asked him.

"I'd probably snatch it away." Jude answered. It was common sense; who wouldn't do that?

"And what would be your reason?" Milla followed up as she turned to him.

"Because it's dangerous." He answered before continuing. "The baby doesn't know how to use a knife. He could cut himself. Or worse."

"There's your answer." Milla said with a poker face.

"What? But we're not babies! If we understand what we're dealing with and if we see the dangers, we can learn how to use it safely." Jude tried to reason with her.

"So you say. But to me, you're no different than infants."

Unbeknownst to them, however, Rashugal soldiers have just arrived.

"I will do what I must to protect this world. If that means destroying the Lance of Kresnik, then so be it." Milla said, her voice filled with determination. It was so intimidating that Jude had no choice but to concede.

"I see." He said through gritted teeth as he looked down on the ground.

"Don't worry, Jude. None of this will concern you once we reach Nia Khera." Milla tried to comfort him. Suddenly, she saw something happening by the village entrance.

"What's going on?" She asked. They both observed the recent occurrence and they saw a huge man, wearing a yellow fur coat with tribal designs and a cap, walking up to the soldiers that arrived. They both heard Alvin and Chris running towards them.

"Looks like we can't linger here any longer." Alvin stated.

"So, they did follow us." Jude stated as he looked on. Chris' eyes widened when she saw the huge man.

"Crap, this is bad. We gotta get out of here." She said.

"I don't know, kids. They found us awfully fast considering this isn't their home turf." The older man said.

"Well, it's not like we can ask them about it. Chris is right; let's go before they find us." Milla responded.

"There's an exit in the western part of town. That must be the way to the Kijara Seafalls." Alvin informed them. Without another word, Chris and Milla bolted off, with Alvin following them almost immediately. After a few seconds, Jude followed them as well. Once they were nearing the exit, Chris spotted the two sentries guarding it. She held her arm out and herded them to the side before the sentries could spot them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." She muttered out as they tried to hide themselves.

"The soldiers beat us here." Jude whispered as they watched them.

"How?" Chris wondered.

"Great. Now what?" Alvin asked. Milla stood up and put a hand to the hilt of her sword.

"We force our way through." She answered.

"Right, and fast, before any more arrive." Jude said in agreement.

"Are you guys insane? There's a garrison in the other side of town. One single scream and they'll be rushing towards us." Chris warned them.

"So, that's your plan? Just charge through? And I thought I was hot-headed."

"Well, it's not like we have another choice." Milla argued back. Jude suddenly felt someone watching them, so he turned around immediately. Instead of a soldier, he saw a young girl no older than 12, clutching a doll close to her. He immediately patted Chris on the back, who turned around as well. Chris was shocked by the girl's appearance. She kneeled in front of the girl and gave her a gentle smile.

"Hey there." She greeted her.

"E-Excuse me." The little girl shyly asked, catching the attentions of both Alvin and Milla.

"What is it?" Jude gently asked her.

"W-What are you doing?" She asked them.

"We're trying to figure out how to get past those soldiers." Milla answered without missing a beat.

"Way to cut to the chase." Jude remarked while Chris rolled her eyes at Milla's straightforwardness. The girl looked at the direction of the soldiers.

"So…those people, they're in your way?"

"Uh…yeah. You could say that." Chris said with a smile. What happened next both surprised them and scared the ever living crap out of all of them. Including Milla.

The little girl's doll opened its eyes and mouth. Alvin and Jude jumped back in surprise, Chris fell to the ground and Milla gaped like a fish. They watched the doll float towards the soldiers and distract them.

"What in the world?" Alvin asked as they looked on.

"What the crap?" Chris said in surprise.

"How did you do that?" Jude asked her. Before the girl could answer though, a deep and gruff voice interrupted them. Jude saw that the man's eyes were nearly closed and he had a long beard.

"What's going on here?"

Chris' blood basically ran cold upon recognizing the voice. Still, she did not dare turn around and look at him.

'_If he sees me, I'm done for. Dead. Downright screwed. Shipped back to my father and aunt.'_ She thought in a panic.

"Child, you know you're never to leave the shed." The giant gently scolded the girl before turning his gaze to the two soldiers. One of them was knocked out and the other one's face was being eaten by the doll.

"Rashugal troops? Curse you! How dare you come here!?" He yelled out as he ran towards the soldiers, all the while totally ignoring them. When Jude looked back to the girl, however, she was running towards the village.

"Huh? Where's she going?" He asked no one in particular as the huge man finished up taking down the Rashugal soldiers. He approached them afterwards after noticing that the girl wasn't with them anymore.

"Which way did she go?" He asked.

"Toward the square." Alvin answered. The man held a panicked look on his face upon hearing the news.

"What? No, she musn't! You all must be outsiders; you should hurry and leave this place." He warned them before running off, much to their surprise.

'_Huh…maybe he doesn't recognize me…'_ Chris thought to herself.

"I have no idea what just happened but I ain't complaining. Things just got a lot easier of us." Alvin said. They couldn't argue with him there.

"Let's get out of here." Jude suggested. Milla started walking ahead of them before she turned to the tall trees to her right.

"What's that over there?" She asked upon seeing the orange things hanging from the branches. Chris approached her and saw what she was looking at.

"Those are Poranges." She answered, getting a questioning look from Milla. "They're fruits, Milla. Like Napples."

"Oh!" She said and much to their surprise, she started salivating.

"They're probably really ripe right now and we can't just take some but you wanna take a closer look? I mean, I doubt those soldiers will be running right at us immediately." Chris offered as she sheepishly rubbed her neck.

"Uh huh…yes, I would like to." Milla answered. Expecting her answer, Chris led her to the orchard and they started climbing the ladder, Milla going first and Chris, Jude and Alvin behind her.

"Now, remember; don't go looking up when the lady's climbing above you." Alvin told them as they reached the landing.

"I'm not you, Alvin." Jude groaned out.

"Too late." Chris said with a blush when she looked up just seconds beforehand to see Milla's lacy black underwear.

'_Hah…at least she has good taste in underwear…'_ She thought. Milla was looking at the Porange fruits in amazement while Chris leaned on the railings.

"Don't steal them, Milla. Otherwise, we'll get in more trouble than we already are in." Chris warned her.

"Oh, yeah, why were you hanging around here earlier?" Alvin asked as he crossed his arms and leaned by the tree.

"Uh…I suddenly remembered my brother and me playing by these orchards when we once visited with mom so I kinda tried to retrace the steps we took when we were playing tag up here. I remember our mother nearly having an aneurysm when she saw us." She answered with a chuckle. After that, she shook her head and headed back to the ladder.

"Let's get out of here before we actually get caught." She suggested as she went down. Milla, Jude and Alvin immediately followed after her and they entered the Galia Trail.

* * *

A mare ran towards Milla and Jude, preparing to trample them. While Jude was able to dodge just in time, Milla wasn't so lucky. The mare hit her stomach head on and she fell to the ground after failing to recover.

"Milla!" Jude yelled out as he ran towards her and healed her as Alvin and Chris attacked the mare with simple slashes. The mare, however, decided to kick Chris in the face. A sickening crunch was heard and the kick made her fly back and crash into Milla, who was just starting to get up. Without another word, however, Chris grabbed her sword once again, stood up and ran back to where Alvin and the mare were.

"You stupid horse!" She yelled as she ran and attacked the mare before it could inflict any form of harm to Alvin. She stabbed the mare in its rib which most likely only served to piss it off, because now it was chasing her. The mare tried to bite her but she managed to block it with her cutlass.

"A little help!" She yelled out. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait that long.

"_Aerial Fire!" _

The linked arte served to be her saving grace because once the hit landed; the mare fell on its side. Not breathing and with blood pooling below the carcass. Frustrated, Chris kicked the carcass, making it skid back a couple of inches away.

"Whoa, easy there." Jude told her but promptly froze when he saw Chris glaring at him. What made it more intimidating was the blood streaming from her nose.

"Uh, your nose is-never mind." He said before putting his thumbs at the side of her nose and setting it back, making her wince in pain. Chris used _Healer_ almost immediately to stop the pain.

"That's twice in a week now..." Chris muttered to herself as she massaged her nose bridge. They started walking in silence, taking down monsters here and there. They were easy pickings for them; seeing as how they've had previous experience in fighting. There was something bothering Jude, however.

"You know that girl we saw in Hamil?" He asked Alvin.

"The one with the weird doll thing? What about her?" He responded.

"You didn't think that was odd?" Jude asked him.

"You can't waste your energy on other people's business. All part of growing up, kid."

"But she was controlling that doll and shady people were chasing her. That doesn't bother you?" He asked the older man. Alvin probably looks heartless to the kid right now, but what can he do?

"Eh, plenty of that going around. Just look at ourselves." Alvin responded. "I think we have enough on our own plates. You really want more irregularities in life?"

Jude couldn't respond upon realizing that he was floored by Alvin's reasoning. As worried he was for the girl, does he really want anymore weirdness in his life? Alvin saw his turmoil and spoke up.

"Not that it's necessarily a bad thing, mind you." He added lightheartedly. "No one's got a bigger helping of weird than Milla, and she doesn't seem to mind."

Okay, Jude had to agree with him there…

"Well, that's certainly true."

With that said, they followed after the girls, who were picking fights with a couple of Insect plants with little to no difficulty.

"Easy there, tigers. You guys got something against these monsters?" Alvin asked them jokingly.

"Hardly. I just think it's good experience. Milla's certainly getting a kick out of it." Chris pointed out.

"Well, why don't you save your strength for something more threatening?" He suggested.

"Good idea." Milla said as she started walking. The other three followed her almost immediately.

"Hmm, I wonder how we can reach out to the Auj Oule military." Alvin contemplated out loud.

"Why are you so interested in them?" Milla asked him.

"Because they say that the Auj Oule military hires based on ability, regardless of status." He answered her.

"That's true." Chris stated as she fiddled with her Lilium Orb.

"That's certainly not how it works in Rashugal." Jude interjected.

"Is that right?" Milla asked them.

"Yeah. All of Rashugal's officials are descended from nobility." He informed her.

"Most of them come from the main or branches of the Six Ruling Houses; the Zumay, the Fenn, the Sharil, the Banya and the Travis. Currently, the main family of House Fenn holds the Rashugal throne. Though because of this, most of Rashugal's officials are basically useless. They're basically a bunch of cowards who'll most likely start sniveling like babies when wartime comes." Chris added with an epic poker face.

"Traditions are lovely and all but that doesn't leave a lot of juicy gigs for mercenaries like little Chrissy here and me." Alvin said lightheartedly as he put a hand on Chris' head.

"Don't call me Chrissy and get your hand off of my head before I break it." She warned him, making Alvin slowly back out.

"But I wouldn't want to live in Auj Oule. The clans are always fighting amongst themselves." Jude said. "There's no way I'd be able to concentrate on my studies."

"Hmm…different humans have such different priorities." Milla said in observance.

"And here you sit, above it all." Alvin pointed out.

"Correct. I don't intervene in the affairs of human society. Except for…that." Milla said as she pointed to Chris.

"Sure, Milla. Refer to me like an object now, why don't you?" She said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Speaking of fighting clans, which one do you come from, Chris?" Jude asked her with a small smile.

"In all your years of knowing me, do you really think I'll answer that question?" She retorted with a smug smirk.

"No, I guess not." Jude answered with a sigh.

"See. But our rival is the Aktau tribe." Chris said as if that would make up for not telling what tribe she's from.

"The Aktau tribe? Your tribe is fighting with a big Auj Oule tribe?" Alvin asked in surprise. "That's some pretty heavy stuff you guys got there. Why?"

"My mother was an Aktau. The tribe didn't like my dad because he was from a minor tribe but she married him anyway. It ended in her banishment." She responded before she started walking once again, signifying that it was the end of the discussion. As Chris walked on, she realized that they were at the end of the trail upon seeing the wave-like rock formations from a distance.

"Hey, we're almost there." Alvin pointed out to them. "Been there before, kid?"

Chris shook her head in response before they continued on. Eventually, the ground they walked on was no longer filled with green grass and trees but rather, it was filled by the grainy sand, blue waters and rocks formations.

"Welcome to the Kijara Seafalls."

* * *

**AN: Gonna have to cut this chapter short, guys. I promise the next one will be long though. I really hope everyone enjoyed this and please leave your reviews and your favorites if you want to (and you know you want to). Anyways, stay awesome guys. Until next time! **


	9. Chapter 8: Rumble in the Kijara Seafalls

**AN: Alright, here we are with Chapter VIII! I hope you guys liked the previous chapter and as usual; thanks to those who reviewed and left their favorites to this story. Now, without further ado, I give you Chapter VIII!**

* * *

**CHAPTER VIII:**

**RUMBLE IN THE KIJARA SEAFALLS**

* * *

"Once we cross this area, we'll reach Nia Khera, the village of the Spirits. At least the soldiers didn't come after us." Alvin stated.

Reminded of what happened in Hamil earlier, Jude looked down on the ground, guilt filling his entire being.

"I hope we didn't cause trouble for those villagers. They were so kind to us too." He said. Knowing where this was going, Chris walked a fair bit of distance away from them and squatted by the waters, all while still being able to hear the conversation.

"What else could we do but run?" Alvin asked him. "Rashugal's troops showed up."

"The villagers picked the fight. Not us." Was Milla's answer. Well, if they didn't think Milla was cold hearted back then, they sure as hell do now.

'_Cold hearted bitch…' _Chris thought as she ran a hand through her hair. Though, having little-to-no contact with society for 20 years would probably render a person insensitive due to the inexperience. Still not an excuse though. For starters, she could start learning.

"How can you talk like that? Maybe they were trying to protect us?" Jude reasoned, making Chris roll her eyes.

'_Oh, you naïve fool…' _She thought.

"If you're worried about them, maybe you should go back." The older woman suggested before turning around and started walking. "It was a pleasure knowing you, Jude. Thank you for all of your help."

"How can you be so cold?" He asked her. Chris made a mental note to thank him later for saving her the trouble of asking her that. Milla faced Jude upon hearing his question.

"You'd rather I get emotional?" She asked him. This time, Chris decided to speak up as she leaned on her elbow and sat on the sand.

"No, we don't. We prefer you at least show some empathy. Or sympathy. Whichever one works."

"I'm afraid I don't have that luxury. What is it you humans say…'I've no time for waxing sentimental'."

"Because of your mission?" The young man asked.

"Precisely." She said.

"So you think your emotions would prevent you from doing what you have to do?" He added.

"Exactly. Can a person still fulfill their duty if they get emotional?" Milla said.

"Only one way to find out. You'd have to try and see." Was Jude's answer.

"Well then, you should take your own advice." She suggested.

"Huh?"

"Just be yourself. And do what you have to do. Maybe then you'll have your answer." She added with a small smile before walking up to Chris.

"I suppose." He said as he stared at her in surprise. Chris, who was observing everything, turned her gaze back to the ocean with a small smile on her face.

'_I'd give it a couple of weeks to months at best and it'll be blatantly obvious that he may have something for her or vice versa.' _She thought to herself.

"Now, don't go thinking you have to act like the great Lord Maxwell here. You're only human." Alvin warned him with a smirk.

"Hey, are you on a mission too?" The younger man asked him. Not losing that smug smirk from his face, Alvin walked up to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, the same way an older brother would do to his younger.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Are you sure you really want to know?" He asked him as if he was daring Jude.

"Huh?"

"I don't want to make you feel like the odd one out now. Even the little lady over there seems to be planning something. Or have an idea of what her purpose is. I mean, like she said; she intends to lie low for a couple of months and then find her aunt. Seems like you may be the only one of us without a mission."

Jude looked up at him and grumbled in disapproval.

"So, what're you going to do, kid? Go back to the village?" Alvin asked him. Jude turned his gaze to Milla and as he observed her form, he can see her strength and determination. At that moment, he knew he had his answer.

"No."

"Alright. Then let's go." The older man said as he released Jude. Before they can take another step, however, they heard Chris yell.

"Let me go, you stupid crab!"

They turned their gaze and saw that a Rock Crab's pincer grabbed Chris by the leg. Milla immediately attacked to aid her.

"_Rock Trine!" _

The arte did the trick and released Chris from its grip. Chris swung her sword horizontally, injuring the crab, before using her arte.

"_Demon Fang!"_

"_Sonic Thrust!"_

"_Swallow Dance!"_

Chris was surprised when the two boys joined her in, having completely forgotten about them. After them, it was Milla who attacked the crab.

"_Shimmer Spin!"_

Before the crab could attack again, Jude delivered a roundhouse kick, Milla vertically swung her sword and Chris jumped in the air and brought her sword down on its back and twisted it while it was still embedded there. The crab fell down on its stomach and she jumped off. She could feel the bruising on her leg but nothing serious. Nothing that a healing arte can't fix.

"You okay, kid?" Alvin asked her.

"Yeah." She answered as she put her weight on her right leg to assess how bad the bruising it. Minor pain and aching. She can still walk without limping.

"We should move on. Before anything else attacks us." Jude suggested to which they all agreed to. They walked up to the available path and climbed the ledges to move on.

"Yikes. What happened to this place's spirit clime?" Chris wondered out loud as she jumped off another ledge.

"Undine had something to do with this, most likely." Milla answered her. Chris decided not to press on with the issue and they continued on.

* * *

**SKIT: In the Name of the Brother (Jude and Chris)**

**Jude: *nervously* **Hey, Chris?

**Chris: **Yeah? What up?

**Jude: *curiously* **Hey, I was just wondering…um…

**Chris: *puzzled* **Yeah, what? We haven't got all day, you know.

**Jude: **It's just…I just want to know what your brother's name is. It's kind of a drag to keep referring to him as "your brother", you know. So, I guess I just-

**Chris: **It's Ethan.

**Jude: *surprised* **Huh?

**Chris: **Ethan. ***sadly* **His name was Ethan…

**Jude: *guiltily* **I'm sorry.

**Chris: *smiles* **It's fine. You're actually the first person who actually attempted to get to know me so…I guess you're alright.

* * *

As per usual, Chris and Milla picked fights with the monsters in the Seafalls, be they crabs, mandragoras or polwigles. Chris did so for the kicks while Milla did it for the experience and the training. Moving on, they climbed another ledge which gave them a better view of the place.

"Whoa, now that's something. They're like spears of stone jutting out of the sea." Alvin said in amazement.

"They say you get unusual terrain like this at points where two spirit climes collide." Jude informed them.

"Will this be on the final?" Chris asked jokingly as they walked, making Jude chuckle. As they jumped off the ledge and the moment Chris' feet touched the ground, she felt something bump her head with force, which made her fall on her side.

"Ow…" She muttered out as she sat up. It turns out that a pack of Polwigles attacked them. She stood up once the pain in her head was gone and drew her sword as she carefully approached the others. The Ribbits were surrounding them.

"So…ideas?" Alvin asked them.

"Yes. Attack." Milla said before linking with Jude and running up to them.

"Is it me or does she prefer to link with Jude over you?" Chris asked the man beside her. Alvin merely shrugged before running off to take care of a Polwigle while Chris did the same. She swung her sword diagonally; hitting the polwigle and making it fall on its back.

"_Ice Storm!"_

The polwigle was launched up in the air when the ice wall erupted from the ground. Chris jumped in the air and brought her sword downwards, cleaving its head in half and whirled around to hit the second polwigle with her sword.

"_Burning Havoc!"_

The polwigle fell backward but it quickly recovered and hit Chris with its tail.

"_Demon Fang!" _

The arte finally killed the monster that kept her busy, thanks to Alvin.

"You okay?" Jude asked her and she nodded, rubbing her aching cheek.

"Yeah, let's just move on." She added and they continued walking. They got to the area of the falls itself after a few minutes.

"Wow!" Chris said in amazement as she looked around and drew one of the falls in her small notebook.

"Now that we're almost to Nia Khera, I'm getting curious…" Jude began. "Is it a nice place?"

Milla turned back to him upon hearing the question. There was a small yet serene smile on her face.

"Hmmm…yes, I'm quite fond of it." She answered before continuing on. "It has a certain kind of serenity. When I meditate there, it feels like my power is concentrated."

"Wow…"

Alvin stretched his arms to get the tension of off his shoulder.

"Let's take five. All those rocks were murder on my feet." He said.

"We can rest once we reach the village." Milla told them.

"Oh come on, relax. Nia Khera isn't going anywhere." The older man said as he grabbed onto Jude's shoulder.

"He has a point. You're only human now. You need to rest. Otherwise, you collapse, get a fever and whatever you want to do is gonna get setback for days to weeks." Chris reminded her.

"See. Rest for a while." Alvin said, wrapping an arm around Jude's shoulder.

"Sure. I won't argue with that." He said with a small smile. After a few seconds, Milla nodded but as the other three were resting; she decided to wander off for a while.

"Don't leave without us now!" Chris yelled after her but Milla just kept on walking. Alvin was sitting by the water and Chris was lying on her stomach as she drew some of the rock formations of the Seafalls.

"Thanks, Alvin. You're a pretty considerate guy, aren't you?" Jude said as he looked on towards Milla's direction.

"Well, I do have to admit that you kids had me worried there, trying to act tough and all." He said as he tilted his head towards Jude's direction.

"Oh, yeah. Was it really that obvious?" He asked sheepishly.

"Very." Chris answered, looking up from her small notebook before turning to Alvin.

"Well, it's not like we have any choice. It's either toughen up and fight or die." She added.

"Anyways, we're fine, really. And I've found out that I'm pretty good at pushing all the complicated stuff out of my brain." Jude said with a small smile.

"Is that right?" The older man said with a smirk. Suddenly, they heard something coming from the direction Milla went to.

"What was that?" Chris asked as she stood up.

"I don't know but let's go." Alvin said before running off. When they got there, they saw Milla bound by three arte rings and a scantily clad woman with strawberry blonde hair and a tail -yes, a damn tail- standing by a boulder with a book. When she turned her face towards them, Chris' eyes widened upon seeing her pretty features and her hair styled like cat ears. She knew that face well; after all, Ethan had a little infatuation with that face ever since they spent a day with her once.

'_No way…'_

"Who are you?" Jude yelled out in a panic. Alvin stared at the woman; something that did not slip Chris' eyes.

'_He knows her…could he be?'_

"You like her? Is she the one who caught your eye?" The woman said with a sultry and seductive voice. None of them are sure if she was referring to Alvin, Jude or Chris.

"Alright, let her go." Alvin told her. "I could care less what you're here for. But she's my employer right now."

"Then stay back. Unless you want me to kill your golden goose." She threatened them.

"Hey, lady. I don't know about you but that's kinda illegal. Not to mention the fact that you were basically sexually harassing her earlier." Chris said as calmly as she could. That was a lie; she didn't see the woman sexually harass Milla. She was just bluffing.

"Harassment, you say? Sure I've touched her here and there but I haven't even started having my fun yet." The woman said, clearly not having any intent to release Milla anytime soon. Chris' eyes widened at her remark.

'_But…I was just bluffing when I said she was committing sexual harassment…'_ She thought as her face turned completely red. Unaware that Jude planned something, Chris was surprised when Alvin started checking his weapon.

"Oh, you're just gonna watch her die then? With friends like that…"

Alvin pointed his gun at the rock that Jude previously pointed out and pulled the trigger a few times. For a second nothing happened, but then the rock moved and then stopped. And after another second, tentacles erupted from the rock and it fell down, making them jump back in surprise.

"Whoa…what is that?" Chris asked as she looked at it. In her surprise, the woman released Milla just seconds before the rock monster rammed itself into the rock that she was standing on, making her fall onto the water as Milla ran up to them.

"What's the expression? 'Out of the Frying Pan'?" Milla asked them.

"And into the firefight. Come on, let's clean up this mess." Alvin answered her as he pointed his gun at it.

"You take care of that. I'll go look for the woman. See if I can beat some information out of her." Chris said before running off and diving onto the water where she fell in. She saw the woman swimming away to shore but lucky for her, she was good at swimming. Chris caught up to her and grabbed her leg, startling the woman as they rose to the surface.

"Hi, remember me?" Chris mockingly asked her as she tried to restrain the woman. She, however, had other plans entirely and she punched the girl in the face. Chris lost her grip on the woman and they got off the water and chased each other up to the cliff by climbing the vines as fast as they could. Jude, Milla and Alvin were busy dealing with the monster so they didn't notice them at all. The woman was a good few meters ahead of her, so Chris did the only thing she could think of at the moment to stop her.

"Presa, stop! That's an order!" She yelled as she pulled out a dagger. The woman, Presa, stopped immediately before turning around to face her.

"Heh, you've grown up. You're no longer the sniveling squirt who was hiding behind her brother's back the last time I saw you. How long has it been? 3 years?" She said with a smirk.

"Give or take a couple of months. And what can I say? Near death experiences changes a person." Chris said as she cautiously walked up to her. "What do you want with Milla?"

"Nothing much; just what she stole from Rashugal." Presa answered as she crossed her arms.

"Alright then. Under his orders, I presume." She surmised. When Presa didn't answer, Chris knew she was right.

"I knew it. Sorry lady, but I can't let you go off and report to him about me or Milla." She said as she pulled her sword out. Before she can attack, however, she was suddenly drenched and she felt someone's fist hit her face twice, before she was kicked in the stomach, which forced her to her knees. Chris should've known Presa would be too quick for her. She tried to punch the older woman as she approached her but Presa simply caught her fist.

"Give it up, kid. You're no match for me yet. I'll let you slip by this time, despite the fact that daddy dearest instructed us to bring you back." She whispered to Chris before gently nibbling her earlobe and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Would've been a fine thing too had Presa not punched her in the face afterwards…

"You know he wouldn't think twice about letting you die!" She yelled after Presa as she tried to sit up. The woman promptly stopped in her tracks.

"Think about it, lady. If he can let his wife and son die, his own flesh and blood, what makes you think he won't let any of you die? You can bet your fine ass that one of these days…he'll leave you to die for his damn cause." Chris added to her statement. Presa walked back to her and grabbed her by her hair.

"Then that's a price we're all willing to pay. Also, don't think he wasn't devastated when Ethan died. You didn't see him grieve for the wife he rarely got to see, the son he lost all too soon and the daughter who ran away from him. Now, go to sleep."

* * *

Meanwhile, Jude, Milla and Alvin just finished up with the monster. It was tiring but they were fortunate to be alive.

"So, you spotted that monster camouflaged as a boulder? Good eyes, kid." Alvin praised Jude. While she was impressed by Jude's quick thinking, Milla still thinks what he did was quite foolish.

"Did you ever consider what would've happened if that creature charged at you instead of that woman?" She scolded him.

"It wouldn't have mattered anyway." Jude told her. "Alvin still would've gotten in that woman's blind spot."

"You thought of all the angles that quickly? What are you; a tactical genius?"

"Genius is a good word. Not many people can think that fast." Milla said. Hearing her somewhat praise him made Jude's heart beat like crazy.

"Hey, it was nothing." He sheepishly said as he looked down on the ground.

"Thank you, Jude. You too Alvin." Milla said with a small smile, much to their surprise. She turned to Jude with a smile and tilted her head a bit.

'_Cute…'_ Jude thought as blood rushed up to his cheeks, making him blush. Suddenly, he remembered something.

"Hey…where'd that woman go?"

Now it was Alvin and Milla's turn to suddenly remember something.

"Didn't Chris go after her?" Alvin asked. After a few seconds, they took off running. Seeing as the only way they could've possibly gone was up, they climbed the cliff wall using the vines. True enough, there was a path and two sets of footprints made with water.

"Footprints. They're recent." Alvin said as he touched it. They walked another few meters before they saw Chris knocked out by the water. Jude ran up to the girl and kneeled beside her.

"Chris! Chris!"

Chris groggily opened her eyes and saw Jude worriedly staring down at her.

"Jude…what are you doing in my room?" She asked in a daze, getting questioning looks from Jude, Alvin and Milla.

"Did you hit your head or something, kid? We're at the Kijara Seafalls." Alvin reminded her as Jude helped her sit up.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She said.

"What happened to your face?" The younger man asked her.

"Oh, that woman rearranged it." She said as she gingerly touched her face. Her left cheek was most likely swollen, the right corner of her lip was aching, she could taste the blood on her lower lip and her jaw was aching.

"Did you get any information from her?" Milla asked as she crossed her arms.

"Only that she wanted what you stole from Laforte." Was Chris' answer as she stood up. "I don't even want to know what you took. Just be careful."

"Fair enough. Let's move onwards." Milla said and they continued walking once again.

"You see how Milla freezes those enemies in her tracks? I guess she really is into bondage." Alvin pointed out, making Chris shoot him a look.

"Oh, is that what that technique is called?" Jude asked him.

"Do you even realize how wrong that just sounded?" She asked him.

"Awww…I thought I'd get more of a rise out of you than that." Alvin pouted. "Well, at least I managed to gauge Chris' reaction. You got a dirty mind, kid."

"Well, I did hang out with a couple of guys who are equally dirty minded as I am…" Chris sighed out.

"I for one am just tired of your lies and innuendos." The younger man told Alvin. "Just give it up, already."

"Oh-ho! And now I'm the one being tied down by your sadistic decrees. Sorry, Jude. I'm not that into bondage play." Alvin jested just in time for Milla to walk up to them and hear the conversation.

"But it is true that some people can only experience true intimacy when they're tied and bound." She weighed in.

"Yeah, that's-WAIT, WHAT?" Chris yelled out in surprise.

"And the conversation takes a surprising turn!" Alvin exclaimed, just as equally surprised as Jude and Chris were. "Are you speaking from personal experience?"

"D-Do you even have boundaries? You don't just ask people that out of the blue." Chris scolded him.

"No, I read it in a book. It was called _'Men and Women Beneath the Sheets_'." Milla answered without missing a beat.

"What sort of books are you reading?" Jude asked her with widened eyes.

"I remember that book; Gary Hathaway from the senior class put that in my book pile once in an attempt to humiliate me and look at his face now. Good times." Chris said in reminiscence.

"There was a similar comment in _'The Aesthetics of Being the Catcher'_ as well." The older woman added.

"That one's probably about something different." He shyly informed her with a blush.

"Oh?"

"W-Well, I wouldn't really know."

"Sounds like Milla's more into total freedom than tying anyone down." Alvin quipped.

"If we're done with the sex talk, can we get a move on?" Chris asked them. They all agreed and they went on the move once more. Chris climbed up the rock formations as Jude, Milla and Alvin talked about the rock monster from earlier. Even she has to admit that it's her first time seeing someone pick a fight with a monster of that size. Maybe Jude is more reckless than she is. Or he's just as reckless as her. They finally got to the other side of the platform and they jumped off.

"So, any idea who that woman was?" Jude asked Alvin in curiosity.

"No clue. Although she did seem to know me." He answered. Milla stopped in her tracks and turned towards them.

"I imagine you mercenaries make a lot of enemies in your line of work."

"Hell yeah we do." Chris responded as Alvin scratched his head.

"Do you know the woman?" She asked the girl.

"Hah…no…" Was Chris' response, trying to keep her nervousness at bay or any sign that she was lying hidden. "All the enemies I made in the 3 months I was a mercenary are either dead or retired."

"Dead by your hand?" Alvin asked her.

"Hah…maybe, maybe not." She answered with a knowing smile.

"Although, I have to admit; she was really pretty." The younger man said.

"I never pegged you for the bad-girl type, kid. Or maybe you just like older women." The older man said with a smirk.

"I don't know. Maybe?" He coyly answered with a smile.

"I never pegged him to be like that either. Everyone at school's got him pegged to be the least likely to notice that a couple of nurses dig him." The younger girl said as she walked ahead of them.

"Wait, really?" Jude asked as he walked after her. The other two followed and eventually, they were able to reach their destination.

"So, this is Nia Khera…"

* * *

**AN: And this is Chapter VIII of ToX: The Lilium Twin. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and that this is long enough to make up for the shortness of the previous chapter. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this and please leave a review and your favorites. Stay tuned. Until next time! Ciao!**


	10. Chapter 9: Homecoming and Departure

**AN: Alright, I learned new things just last Wednesday; number 1: Do NOT tell your mother, under any circumstances whatsoever, that 2 hot Red Bull chicks offered you and your friends said energy drink in school and number 2: Do NOT watch Markiplier play Five Nights at Freddy's 3 while you're hopped up on Red Bull. Makes you more jumpy. Anyways, I hope you people enjoyed the previous chapter and thanks to those who left their reviews and favorites. And now let us move on to the 9****th**** Chapter of this story.**

* * *

**CHAPTER IX:**

**HOMECOMING AND DEPARTURE**

* * *

"We've arrived." Milla stated.

"Smell the fresh air, kids. I don't think you city kids have ever felt this." Alvin told them as they stood by the entrance of the village. They took in their surroundings for a bit; there were nice green pastures with cows, chickens and rappigs grazing the grass. Kids running around playing as the old folks watched over them with smiles in their faces. And the houses looked like igloos except they were intricately made with wood. There were also small bridges connecting areas of the village.

"So this is Nia Khera." Jude stated in amazement.

"Huh, I thought it would be…fancier." Alvin weighed in.

"I like it. It's quaint and quiet." Chris said with a small smile. Milla walked up to one of the old villagers meditating by the grass.

"Excuse me, where's Ivar?" She asked him. The old man stood up as he answered.

"Hmm…he went off to find Lord Maxwell and- L-Lord Maxwell!"

"Yes, I have returned." Milla said as the old villager bowed before her in reverence. However, this caught the attention of the other villagers who walked up and bowed before her as well.

"I-I can't believe you deign speak to me." The old man said. "I am unworthy."

"I guess she's the real deal." Alvin stated as he looked on.

"Told you." Chris smugly said as she crossed her arms.

"She's something, alright." Jude fondly said as he observed Milla.

"Not everyone gets to road trip with a major deity. I had my doubts." The older man said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Please relax. No need for formalities." Milla said. When she realized that he wasn't going to stand up she continued on.

"You say Ivar isn't here?"

"Yes, but he should've returned by now. We're worried about him." He informed her.

"I see. He always did have a short temper. Please, return to your work." She requested of them before she started walking with Jude, Alvin and Chris following after her. As they passed by, the villagers of Nia Khera kneeled before Milla.

"I need to perform the ritual to resummon the Four at my shrine. But it would seem my handmaid is away. Would you mind lending a hand?" She asked of them.

"What? You mean we can help you?" Jude asked in surprise.

"I'm not exactly a religious scholar." Alvin remarked.

"What exactly do you want us to do?" Chris asked in curiosity as they were approaching the small bridge.

"It's nothing difficult." She answered. "The village has four altars, each with a temporal stone."

"So…you want us to bring those to the shrine you mentioned?" Jude asked for clarification. Seems simple enough.

"Precisely."

"Why not just ask the villagers for help?" The mercenary asked her.

"You saw what just happened." Milla said before continuing on. "Except for my handmaid, I don't really fraternize with the villagers. They can barely look at me. Let alone hold a conversation."

"Well, you are a god…" Chris muttered out.

"Ah, the trials of godhood. Well, I guess a little physical labor won't kill us. Right, kids?"

"We can handle it." Jude answered. When they got to the other side of the village, Milla promptly stopped and turned to the two younger kids.

"Don't worry, you two. I'll explain your predicament to the villagers after the ceremony. Please be patient just a little longer." Milla requested of them. Chris simply nodded in response.

"Ah, sure." Jude answered before continuing. "Okay, let's go hunting for those temporal stones. You said they were in the village?"

"Yes. Gather the stones and bring them to the shrine. It lies beyond the village."

"Alright. Let's go." Chris said before turning to Alvin. "So, there should be four, right? Want to see who gets two of them back to where Milla is, first?"

"Is that a challenge, Miss I-don't-even-know-what-your-real-last-name-is? Because if so, then it's on." Alvin answered with an amused smirk on his face.

"Hey, look, the King of Rashugal is taking a dump by that house." Chris pointed out and when Alvin totally fell for it, she took off running for the Red Temporal stone they passed by earlier and snatched it off the pedestal, much to the bewilderment of the villagers.

"Sorry. Lord Maxwell needs this!" She yelled back as she made a beeline for the river just as Alvin caught up to her.

"Nice try, kid. That was pretty dirty of you." He said as he grabbed her arm and they jumped into the rocks of the river leading to the Blue Temporal Stone. Alvin fell on his side and Chris tried to run to the pedestal while keeping hold of the Fire stone at the same time, but Alvin grabbed her leg, making her fall to the water and enabling him to grab the Water stone.

Oh, come on! I've been drenched enough for one day!" Chris complained as she stood up and climbed the bridge and ran off with Alvin hot on her heels. When they got to the pedestal by the east gate, however, the stone was no longer there.

"What?" She asked out loud as Alvin zoomed past her upon realizing that the stone wasn't there. Chris chased him to the next pedestal by the entrance and much to their shock, it wasn't there as well.

"What the hell?" Alvin asked.

When they both looked up, Jude and Milla were standing there with amused looks on their faces.

"Hey, I got one of them and Alvin's got the other. We couldn't find the last two, though." She reported to them.

"So, cough it up. Where are the other two?"

Jude didn't say anything but rather pulled out a green and a brown stone from behind him.

"Jude! You ruined the game." Chris whined to him. "You could've just told us that you had them."

"Yeah, I could have. But it was also fun watching you run around like a kid for a minute there since you act way too serious for your age." He admitted with a smile.

"Look who's talking. So, should we move on?" She asked Milla.

"Yes. Assuming that you're finished with your banter." She answered with a small smirk.

"Yeah, we are." The younger girl answered as she spun the temporal stone on her index finger.

"So, all the artes that channel the Four Great Spirits don't work anymore?" Alvin asked them.

"Yeah, not since the silencing twenty years ago." Jude answered him. "The power of the Four disappeared overnight, causing a worldwide panic."

"According to the folks back then, Fennmont saw its first sun in centuries too." Chris added to the conversation.

"Uh-huh…and when did Milla take human form again?" The older man asked them.

"Twenty years ago." Was the older woman's answer. Chris and Jude's eyes promptly widened when they made the connection.

"Well, call me Sally and screw me with a cockatrice…" The younger woman mumbled.

"Wait, are the two related?" Jude questioned her.

"Yes, that was me. I reserved the Four for my personal use."

"Seriously?"

"You do realize you were just responsible for the heart attacks of nearly every person in the world 20 years ago, right?" Chris told her with an incredulous look on her face.

"I have no reason to deceive you. Of course, even I can't summon them now, so you'll have to take my word for it."

With no reason for argument, the other three simply let the issue go. As they passed by the same old man from earlier, he kneeled before her yet again.

"Welcome home, Lord Maxwell." He greeted Milla as she stood before him. Her three companions, meanwhile, hung back and observed. While Chris and Alvin were indifferent, Jude was in awe of how Milla commanded the respect, love and adoration of the villagers.

"I'm glad to see you're all well." Milla told him with a smile.

"All thanks to you, Lord Maxwell."

"Wow, so people really do worship Milla!" Alvin exclaimed in amazement.

"It's pretty rare to find Maxwell worshippers these days. But apparently, they used to be quite common." Jude informed them as Milla approached.

"Faith in the spirits seems to have fallen dramatically all over the world, although I couldn't tell that from here." She said.

"That's true. There are only two places in Auj Oule I know that worships Spirits nowadays; the first one is Xian Du, where they worship Efreet and Undine; for strength and to guide the souls of the deceased, respectively. The other one is Hamil, where they worship Gnome for good harvest. Hamil holds a festival for Gnome every year during Arbor at Ragnome." Chris said as she crossed her arms.

"And you know this how?" Alvin asked her as he put a hand on his forehead. Chris raised an eyebrow at him as she answered.

"Aside the fact that I go to school, I actually lived here. In this country."

"Anyway, the more spirit artes progress, the more spirits are seen as simply another facet of nature." Jude told them.

"So, they used to be a bigger deal back then?" Alvin asked.

"Yeah. Legends say that it was Maxwell who created Rieze Maxia to begin with." He answered before continuing on. "And the first human to follow him, Kresnik, came to be known as the Genesis Sage."

"Correct. And the people of this village are Kresnik's descendants." Milla weighed in.

"Yeah, but they're just legends aren't they? There's no actual proof or evidence to support that." Chris said with a shrug.

"But you never know; they might hold a grain of truth to them." The older woman told her.

"Heh heh…yeah, you get crazy origin stories like that in all these rustic towns." Alvin said with an arrogant chuckle as he put his hands on his hips.

"Alvin, show some respect." Jude scolded him. Unfortunately, the old man was offended by Alvin's remark.

"How dare you! Twenty years ago, I personally witnessed the advent of Lord Maxwell and the Four Great Spirits!" The elderly villager said defensively.

"Uh, we're sorry, sir. He just doesn't know what he says sometimes." Chris told him as she slapped Alvin in the head but the villager continued his tirade.

"I saw her grow into the woman you see before you without even taking a bite of food or a wink of sleep."

If Chris was apologetic just a second ago, she sure as hell wants to make a smart ass comment now. Suddenly, she felt Alvin's arm around her and she saw that that his other arm was around Jude. He also had this creepy, doggish grin on his face.

"This miracle is proof that our legends were true!" The old man said.

"Wanna tell this geezer about the time Milla collapsed from hunger?" Alvin asked them with a mischievous tone in his voice.

"Just leave him alone." Jude answered as he looked up at Alvin.

"Hell yeah I do." Chris answered before continuing on. "Actually, Milla-"

Jude nearly tackled her to the ground just to cover her mouth. It wasn't until Chris made the gesture that she'll stop did Jude release her.

"Come to think of it; the Six Ruling Houses of Rashugal are all a part of that legend too. Their founders were supposed to be the six disciples of Maxwell and Kresnik, right?"

"Now that is the truly absurd origin story. Those fools have no clue about the true secrets of this world." The old man arrogantly said. However, when Milla turned to him with crossed arms and an unimpressed look on her face, the elderly villager regretted his statement.

"I should never have said that. Please forgive me." He begged of her as he bowed down.

"What just happened?" Jude asked, surprised by the elderly man's sudden change of attitude.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." Milla answered as she turned back to them. "We should move on."

And that's what they did…

* * *

According to one of the villagers, the Nia Khera spirit way has been infested with monsters, which were easy pickings for them.

"_Recovery Ring!"_

A green light enveloped Jude and his companions, enabling them to freely charge against the monsters.

"Reminds me why I hate bugs!" Chris said as she swatted the Butterfly with her sword.

"_Wind Blade!"_

The arte from Milla landed on the Toadstool goblin. She thought that would've done the trick and killed it but unfortunately, it just turned around and slammed its tail down. She was sure it was going to hit her until…

"Milla!"

Jude stepped in between Milla and the goblin and took the blow himself, launching him to the air. He recovered immediately though. However, the goblin was close to finishing the arte that it was summoning.

"_Arc Fire!"_

An arc of bullets rained down upon the goblin, finally taking it down just in time for Chris to defeat the Treant that kept her occupied.

"_Burning Havoc!"_

The treant fell dead, some parts of it burned.

"And that's a wrap." Alvin said as he crossed his arms. Milla made a gesture for them to follow her and they did.

"This is nice…fresh air, quiet, right amount of monsters, no bandits. I kinda like this place." Chris said as they walked.

"What's wrong with your hometown, Chris?" Jude asked her in curiosity.

"Nothing is wrong with it. But I live up north so the monsters are a bit difficult to deal with since they're aggressive. And with my dad being overprotective, I can't just venture out and hunt for them." She answered sheepishly.

"Hmm…it seems that like Jude; Chris craves chaos as well." Milla pointed out as they walked.

"I do not crave chaos…" Jude sighed in defeat.

"I am the exact opposite of Jude…I live for the chaos that Rieze Maxia can offer." She said with a grin.

"You're not suicidal, are you?" Alvin asked her.

"Nope." Chris answered with a smile before she started walking on ahead of them. They followed after her and Milla took the lead once again. After a few minutes of walking and killing those "damn chickens", as Chris likes to call them, they finally arrived at Milla's Shrine. There was a long staircase leading to the grounds and there stood a house similar to the ones they saw in Nia Khera.

"Whoa." Chris muttered out as she observed her surroundings. The shrine was pretty isolated. Not only was it hard to gain access to the place since the Spiritway was filled with monsters, but there were also tall trees that really hid the shrine.

"In here." Milla told them.

"Is this your house?" Jude asked her as he looked around.

"My house? I've never really thought about it like that, but I suppose so." She answered as she crossed her arms and pinched her chin in a contemplative fashion.

"Boy, you're really in the sticks." Alvin said as he looked around the area.

"An apt yet somewhat offensive observation, Alvin." Chris said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah, yeah. So, what do you do for fun out here?" He asked her.

"My mission is not to entertain myself." Milla sternly answered before she continued. "I do spend time reading books written by humans, if you must know."

"And this is where _Men and Women Beneath the Sheets _come in..." Chris sighed out.

"Let's perform the ceremony." Milla told them. They entered and they placed the temporal stones in their respective places while Milla sat in the middle of the glyph painted in the middle of the room.

"So, is this okay?" Jude asked her.

"Perfect. Thank you." Was her answer. Jude and Chris took that as her cue to stand back. While Jude and Alvin observed what Milla was doing, Chris drew the glyphs on the stones. Much to their amazement, Milla summoned another glyph, similar to the one she summoned in Laforte and colored lights shined down upon the temporal stone. However, instead of summoning the Four Great Spirits, the stones just shattered and Milla grunted as if she was hurt.

"Milla!" Jude yelled out in worry. Before any of them could run to her aid, however, someone beat them to it.

"Lady Milla!" The person called out before bulldozing through them and making Chris fall on her ass. Jude helped her up as they took a good look at the person. He had white hair and a garb that wasn't like the ones the villagers of Nia Khera usually wore. He kneeled before Milla once he was in front of her.

"Oh, is that you, Ivar?" Milla asked as she cradled her head as if she was having a massive headache.

"Lady Milla, I was worried sick." The man, Ivar, said. Chris was about to hit him on the back of his head with the hilt of her sword but Alvin grabbed her by the waist to restrain her.

"This looks like the ritual of the Four's Advent…" Ivar said upon realizing what was going on. "Why would you perform such a ritual? Wait, what's going on here?"

He stood up and looked around.

"Wait, what's going on here? Efreet, where are you? Undine, come out!" He yelled in a panic before continuing. "Lady Milla, what has happened?"

Milla stared at him sternly before explaining everything that happened; from her departure to the events of Laforte and to their return to Nia Khera.

"I cannot believe it." Ivar said in disbelief while Jude, Chris and Alvin sat on the side.

"So, why do you think you can't summon the spirits? Are they dead or something?" Alvin asked in a bored manner as he rested his cheek on his knuckle.

"Idiot! A Great Spirit cannot die!" The man yelled at him. Not even an hour of knowing the guy and Alvin and Chris are already annoyed with him.

"Was I supposed to know that?" Alvin asked the two young ones.

"I don't know but I have half a mind to plant my boot in his face." She mumbled out.

"Just like a lesser spirit, a Great Spirit becomes a fossil when it passes away. Yet its power transfer to the next Great Spirit." Ivar boasted.

"So…if we're running on a technicality, the Spirit is still dead." Chris told him to get under Ivar's skin. She loved the way how his eye twitched.

"At least, that's what they say. Nobody's ever seen it happen." Jude informed them.

"Ah, so I've heard." Alvin said, still sporting his bored expression.

"That's blasphemy! Spirits are undying beings that dwell in the Spirit World! It's beyond your understanding." Ivar told them.

"Oh, sure. Like you're any better." Chris mocked him with closed eyes. Suddenly, Jude thought of something. He put his index finger to his temple and started thinking.

"Hmm…" He contemplated before continuing on. "Well, maybe that device captured the Four Great Spirits instead of killing them."

"Impossible. Mere humans could never capture the Great Four!" Ivar said in a defensive manner.

"Yeah, well, you haven't seen what we saw." The younger woman said.

"But the Four Great Spirits aren't answering their Lord's summons." Jude reminded them. "If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

"If you leave the egg in a box, and somehow that egg should get crushed, the cause must lie within the egg itself." Alvin recounted.

"Howe's Egg…" Chris muttered.

"Yep. Good Ol' Howe's Egg principle. You really are an honors student." The older man praised him. Unbeknownst to them, Ivar was getting mad.

"A spyrix advanced enough to capture even the Four." Milla said in realization. "When that happened, I then lost my power as Maxwell."

A flash of the memory ran through Milla's mind as she recalled that day.

"Milla." Jude called for her. Milla snapped out of her musings and stood up and turned her back on them. Ivar ran with his arms held out.

"Now you will all leave. This is holy ground and you will desecrate it no more! I'm the only one ordained to serve Lady Milla." He arrogantly declared. Finally, Chris' patience ran out and she kicked her foot up, hitting him directly in the crotch. Ivar crumbled to the ground in pain.

"If you can't even withstand that, how the hell do you expect to serve the Lord of the Spirits herself?" She mockingly asked him.

"Ivar, please leave as well. You can go home." Milla said with a tone of dismissal. Chris stifled the giggles upon hearing Milla's words. He turned to Milla questioningly.

"Let's see…how should I put this? You're annoying." Milla told him without missing a beat. Alvin snickered in amusement while Chris completely lost it. They stood up and left the shrine with Ivar trailing behind them. Once they were outside, however, Ivar continued his tirade.

"Lady Milla wouldn't be in this predicament if it weren't for you blasphemous fools!" Ivar declared as he waved his arms wildly. The three paid him no heed though.

"For the love of Maxwell, I knew I should never have left her side!"

"Milla wasn't kidding about his short fuse." Alvin said. Jude, however, started walking as he was lost in his thoughts. Ivar grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?"

"Uh, yeah, I mean…huh?"

"Heed my words; henceforth only I shall serve the Lady Milla! Interfere at your peril." Ivar warned him.

"Hate to burst your bubble, handmaid, but I think that's for Lady Milla to decide." Chris said as she walked up to Jude. Alvin simply rolled his eyes before looking over to the grove of trees. To his surprise, he saw two figures standing at the distance. Ivar stalked off while Chris followed and Jude stayed where he was. Alvin approached them immediately.

"You gonna stick around?" He asked them.

"Yeah." Jude answered.

"Okay, I'll be back at the village." Alvin said before walking away.

"I have to figure out what I can do." Jude told himself once Alvin was out of earshot. All of a sudden, Milla came out.

"Oh, what's wrong? I thought you were going to rest." He said as Milla walked up to him.

"I would say the same to you. You didn't go back to the village?" She asked him.

"No."

"Well then, let's go set you and Chris up with the villagers." Milla declared. The offer sounded nice but Jude solemnly looked down on the ground.

"What's wrong? Worried you won't fit in?" She asked with a tiny hint of worry in her voice.

"No, that's not it." He answered as he shook his head. "So, what are you going to do now? Will you return to Fennmont to destroy the Lance of Kresnik?"

"Yes. When you consider that the Lance drained mana from the Four, along with the other people there…we can assume that the mana serves as some kind of fuel. The Lance must gather mana before it can be used as a weapon. I doubt it will be ready immediately. I suspect their mana gathering activities will continue." She deducted.

"Are you planning to go alone?" Jude sheepishly asked her as he looked down on the ground.

"Stop beating around the bush. If you want to tell me something, just say it." Milla scolded him.

"I want to know; how come you're so brave?" He shyly asked her. Milla smiled and crossed her arms at his inquiry.

"You've taken an interest in me, haven't you?" She asked him. Jude was taken aback and his face heated up as he blushed. Well, he would be lying if he said he's not interested in her. Milla is a beautiful young woman after all.

"Bravery. That's not really it." Milla answered him. "I have a task to perform. And I do whatever it takes to complete that task. It's that simple."

"But you're only human now. Isn't this mission to big for just one person? I mean, you could die!" Jude tried to reason with her. He wouldn't admit it now, but he was worried for her.

"That changes nothing. The task must be completed." She confidently answered.

"You really are brave." Was all Jude could say in admiration upon realizing that he had no room for argument.

"Any other questions?" She asked him. When he didn't answer, she continued. "Then let's go back."

As Milla walked away, Jude called for her.

"Hey!"

"Yes?"

"Can I come too? With you?" Jude asked her. It took Milla awhile before she responded.

"Your whole life was turned upside down because you got involved with me. Not just your life, but Chris' as well. You don't regret it?"

"Well, sure. A little bit. But it's too late to cry about it now. It's not like I can turn back time." Jude answered. "Now that I'm neck-deep in this. I want to help you. If I can."

Milla was shocked by Jude's determination yet she couldn't help but smile at it.

"You really are a do-gooder, aren't you?"

"Y-You think so?" Jude nervously asked her.

"I didn't stay behind at the shrine to rest; I was hoping to sneak off without dragging you or Chris into things again." Milla admitted to him.

"Really? I would rather Chris wouldn't get dragged into this, though." Jude said.

"Yes. Consideration for others was something I learned on our little journey together. It's not as easy as I thought. However, the decision to come with us is Chris' decision entirely. Anyway, let's head back to the village."

* * *

After a few minutes, Milla and Jude arrived back in Nia Khera. Alvin was sitting by the gate to the Spiritway with Chris.

"Took you long enough. We weren't expecting to see Milla with you." He said as he and Chris stood up.

"So, you've made up your mind." Alvin said as he approached them.

"Yeah. I'm going with Milla." The younger man answered.

"What?" Chris asked him.

"Whoa there, you're quite the flip-flopper, aren't you? I thought you regretted getting involved?" Alvin asked for clarification.

"True, but I've made my decision to help her and I'm sticking to it." Jude confidently stated.

"Well, look who's growing a spine." Chris said as she approached them.

"Chris, would you like to come with us? It's hard to imagine you'd want to be left here alone." Milla said. Chris contemplated for a moment before finding her answer.

"Sure, why not?" She said with a grin. "It'll be like an adventure."

Alvin turned away from them as he ran a hand through his hair and Milla approached him.

"Is that right?"

"Alvin, thanks for your help. Oh, I almost forgot. We still need to pay you." She said with a small smile.

"Ah yes. My fee." He said. "We ran into some hayseed earlier. He said he'd pay it."

"One of the villagers?"

"Yep. He was all 'Thank you for looking after Lord Maxwell' and 'You saved our spirit'." Alvin answered with a shrug.

"Hm…that sounds like the elder. He shouldn't have offered." Milla said in contemplation. "Alvin, I'll pay you myself."

"You need to learn to read your people, Milla. That old man was tickled pink to pay your debt. You'd crush him if you refused." He said as he crossed his arms.

"You think so?" Milla asked him.

"I know so. Anyway, he told me to wait here for him. But that was ages ago though. Not sure what's holding him up."

"He's still in the village, right?" Jude asked.

"Most likely. We should find him." Milla declared.

"Don't forget to take care of anything you want while I'm still around." Alvin told them. "Once I get my reward, I'm outta here."

"Yeah. Give me back my rings." Chris told him.

"Ah, yes. Here you go." Alvin said as he handed the gold and silver rings over to her. Chris immediately took her glove off and wore it.

"I'll be by the river if you guys need me." She said before walking away while Jude, Milla and Alvin looked for the village elder. Chris had other motives for staying here instead of going with them. Ever since they stepped out of the shrine, she's been getting this feeling that someone's been watching them. So far, she hasn't seen anyone or anything suspicious but better safe than sorry.

"Come on…who are you? What are you? Where are you?" She muttered to herself as she looked around. After a couple of minutes, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Milla staring down at her. She tilted her head in a gesture saying that it was time for them to go. She stood up, followed them and together they left Nia Khera.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the Chris, Jude and Milla, someone has been watching them all along in a hill not too far from the village but far enough for this group not to be spotted by the locals.

"So, that woman is supposed to be Maxwell? And you claim she has lost her powers, Presa?" A man, who was obviously their leader, stated as he observed the group.

"Yes." The woman answered.

"If she's already hidden the key somewhere, we could have a problem." Another man who was clad in black, said.

"The fault is mine. I underestimated them. I apologize." Presa said.

"If I'd only known that woman was Maxwell, I would have forced her to reveal the key's whereabouts." Another man, the same one from Hamil, said with crossed arms.

"You two." The man in black said as he turned to Presa and the giant man. "You were both instructed to capture the Princess and return her when you find her and you didn't. Why is that?"

"Forgive me. I was occupied in driving the Rashugal soldiers away from Hamil." The giant man said.

"The girl managed to overpower me. I had to flee. Again, I apologize." Presa said, trying to hide the obvious lie.

"That is not an excuse." The man scolded them.

"That's enough. It is of no matter. Anyway, it is in our best interest to let her wander freely for now." The leader said as he looked on at the younger girl with Maxwell and the boy.

"Yes. Let her attract the attention of Rashugal while we quietly put all the pieces in place."

"Any word from Agria?" Their leader asked.

"She says they appear to have decided to construct a new key to replace the one they lost." Was the man's answer. "Also, she apologizes for any harm she caused the Princess. She didn't realize that she would side with them and put up a resistance."

"We cannot ignore that." He said as he slightly turned his head. The man in black nodded, knowing what it means.

"Jiao, you no longer need to watch over the girl. Join the search for the key." He ordered the giant man.

"But sir-"He tried to protest.

"If the Rashugal soldiers have withdrawn, you need not monitor her personally."

"It only makes sense for priorities to change; the data is safe after all." Presa said with crossed arms.

"As you say…" Jiao said in agreement.

"Presa, rendezvous with Agria and infiltrate Fennmont." The man in black ordered her.

"Oh, so it's truly safe to leave Maxwell alone?" She asked him.

"Yes. We still have another pawn in the board. I'll have him search for the key as well."

With their tasks decided, nothing more was said and they walked away from Nia Khera.

* * *

**AN: Alright and Chapter IX is done. Sorry for the long wait but I have been busy for a couple of days and now I'm about to be late for my Asian History class so I'll have to cut this short. Please leave a review and your favorites. Thank you! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Until next time!**


	11. Chapter 10: The Girl with the Doll

**AN: *cough* *tries Markiplier's voice* Hello, everybody! This is GroundZeroFirework and welcome to the tenth chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin! Alright, first off, I'd like to inform everyone that I made a minor edit to the final parts of Chapter IX and it's not really something you can easily spot but it was an edit nonetheless. Secondly, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed to the previous chapters. I hope everyone found some of it funny. Anyways, without further ado, let us move onward to the tenth chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin; let's go!**

* * *

**CHAPTER X:**

**THE GIRL WITH THE DOLL**

* * *

As Chris, Jude and Milla exited Nia Khera to the Kijara Seafalls, the older woman suddenly stopped in her tracks and contemplated.

"What is it?" Jude asked her in worry.

"I was mulling over our options. What if we can't take a boat straight to Fennmont?" Milla asked.

"Well…" Jude began until a new voice cut him off.

"I vote against taking the land route from Auj Oule. Crossing the mountains would be a real pain."

"Alvin?" They exclaimed in surprise once they turned to see the mercenary making his way towards them.

"We could head towards Sharilton from the Sapstrath Seahaven." He informed them.

"We? What do you mean 'we'?" Jude asked him.

"That handmaid of yours offered me a little job." The older man answered as he put his hands on his hips. "He wasn't so crazy about his exalted Spirit travelling with two pipsqueaks for protectors."

"He said that? That's it. I'm gonna give that little bastard a piece of my mind!" Chris declared and she began to stalk back to Nia Khera until Jude grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Plus, the good villagefolk overpaid me. It'd be a stain on my professional pride if I didn't give them their money's worth." He added as he pulled out the bag of Gald that the elder gave him. Judging from the way it bulged, it seems very likely that they did overpay him.

"Hehe…very well. Good to have you back." Milla said with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks for coming along." Jude told him with an approving nod.

"Well, make this trip more interesting on me, will ya?" Chris jokingly requested as she patted Alvin on the shoulder.

"Sure thing, kid. And thank Ivar and the villagers, not me." He told Jude as he crossed his arms. "So, what's the plan?"

"First, we head to Hamil to investigate Rashugal's movements." Was Milla's answer.

"If they're still there, that is." Jude reminded her.

"Then you better take this, keep it handy. Just in case." Alvin said as he handed Jude a map. "Shall we go?"

The other three nodded and they continued on their way.

* * *

After at least another 2 hours' worth of travelling on foot and battling monsters in the Seafalls and the Galia Trail, the group finally returned to Hamil.

"There don't seem to be any Rashugal Soldiers here." Chris pointed out as they looked around. They continued on to the town itself and noticed that a commotion was happening.

"Get out of here!" They saw a villager yell at the girl they saw earlier.

"This is all your fault, you evil brat!" A woman accused the girl before she bent down to grab a rock and flung it at the child.

"Stop it! Sticks and stones can break bones, you know?"

"What the hell is this? She's just a child!" Chris said before she went over to aid the girl. Jude, in the meantime, walked up to one of the villagers and grabbed his wrist before he can throw another stone at the girl.

"What's the big idea?" The villager asked him before Jude walked up to Chris and the girl. Chris was trying to get the girl to look up to her so she can examine her for injuries. Thankfully, she easily cooperated.

"You okay?" Jude asked the girl as he kneeled before her.

"Hmm…no bleeding or injuries. She's okay." Chris declared as she stood up.

"Do you have any idea what you people put us through?" The Mayor asked Jude as Milla walked up to them. They looked around and saw that they were injured people everywhere. Both men and women. The young and the elderly.

"Is this Rashugal's doing?" Milla asked her. The Mayor gritted her teeth in anger and Alvin filled in the blanks.

"They couldn't find us. So, they took it out on the village."

"Yeah, sure and that justifies throwing rocks at a defenseless little girl!" Chris yelled at the Mayor.

"Leave here at once! You outsiders are nothing but trouble!" The Mayor yelled at them in anger before she stalked off. The villagers dispersed the moment she walked away.

"She was like a completely different person." Jude said. The moment their attention was removed from her, the little girl took it as her chance to run away. She was a fast runner for her age.

"Hey, wait!" Chris called for her but the girl disappeared from their sight. She turned to Milla, who nodded in response. Without another word, Chris gave chase to her.

"Let's see if the villagers know anything about Rashugal's activities. Don't forget, we'll be leaving soon." Milla informed Jude once she turned to him.

"Gotcha. Thank you." He said before chasing after them while Alvin and Milla stayed behind. After a minute of running, Jude caught up to Chris just in time for them to see the girl enter the shed by the Porange orchards.

"Let's approach quietly. We don't want to scare the girl off." Chris cautioned him before they entered the shed. The shed would make a suitable living space for a person. Aside from the barrels of Poranges, there was a bed, a furnace, a small table and a chair; among other things.

"Where is she?" Jude wondered. It was a small shed; not much room for a little girl to hide in.

"I got a pretty good idea where." Chris stated all of a sudden. It was only then did Jude notice the stairwell, connecting the upper floor to what seems to be the basement.

"Only one way to find out; let's have a look see." Jude said. Chris nodded in response and they both carefully went down and entered the room. In it were barrels. Lots and lots of barrels. Once they were past the first row of barrels, they spotted a mop of blonde hair which quickly disappeared. Rounding the corner, they saw the little girl from earlier covering her head with her hands. Beside her was her doll. Chris crouched behind her immediately.

"Hey, can we talk?" Jude asked the girl but she remained cowering.

"Hey, it's okay. Come on." Chris tried to reassure her as she stood up. The girl stood up but her back remained turned from them.

"Don't worry. We won't hurt you." He assured her. The girl finally turned to face them, sporting a questioning look on her face.

"Hi there." Jude greeted the girl as he bent down to her eye level. "We've met once before, right?"

The girl did not answer them but her doll did.

"Wah-hey!"

Jude was so surprised that he fell on his ass while Chris nearly knocked over an entire set of barrels.

"Whoops! Clumsy little guys, aren't you?" It asked them.

"This is Teepo. He won't hurt you." The girl assured them before the doll continued on for her. "And this is Elly. But you should call her Elize. Nice to meetcha!"

Jude's mouth hung open in shock and he could swear that Chris was nearly passed out.

"Ah, heh. Nice to meet you, too. Eh…both of you." He nervously answered. Elize approached them cautiously with Teepo in her arms.

"Um…are you two okay?"

"Sure, we were just thrown in for a loop." Jude answered. "My name is Jude. And this is my friend, Chris."

"Wah-hey, Jude! Wah-hey, Chris! Thanks for helping us out before!" Teepo spoke up.

"Holy crap, a talking doll." Chris muttered out in shock.

"Thank you." Elize shyly said. Fully recovering from her shock, Chris crouched in front of the girl.

"Hey, Elize, my friend here is going to ask you some questions. We need you to answer them, alright? Can you do that for us?" Chris gently asked her as she took Elize's hand. The little girl shyly nodded.

"So, what exactly happened here? Can you tell us?" He asked her.

"Well, first, all these meanie men showed up from who knows where. Some place far away! Then, the big man whupped them all!" Teepo enthusiastically explained for Elize. It dawned on them who exactly the big man was.

"Ah, yeah. That guy." Jude said upon remembering him.

"But then he wandered away somewhere." Elize informed them.

"Right! That's when the meanie men started bullying the villagers!" Teepo added.

"Is the big guy a buddy of yours, Elize?" Jude asked her.

"No…" Elize answered as she shook her head.

"He's a bad guy! He locked Elly up!" Teepo added for her.

"Locked you up?" Chris asked for clarification and Elize nodded in response.

"We arrived here together in Amnis." She said.

"But they started chucking rocks at us the second we stepped outside! Those meanies!" The doll told them. A deep frown appeared on both the teenagers' faces.

"Jude? Chris?" Elize called for them.

"Oh, sorry. Are the two of you waiting for friends here or something?" He asked them. Elize sadly looked down, which made both of them feel bad because that could only mean one thing.

"Friends? We don't have any."

"Well you do now." He said.

"Yeah, we'll be your friends." Chris assured her with a smile.

"O-Oh…"

Elize blushed at the offer of the two older people.

"Wah-hey! Jude and Chris are our pals!" Teepo jovially exclaimed. The two teenagers were disturbed by Elize's situation, however. Being locked up, left behind and then abused by the villagers. It's not exactly the stable environment a child like her needs. One thing's for sure; they have to get her out of here.

"Hmm…mind if we tell our friends about you, Elize?" Jude asked as he once again bent down to her eye level.

"Why?" She asked in curiosity.

"We don't like the way the villagers treat you." Was his answer. "We want to ask our friends if there's anything we can do."

"Maybe we can find someone to help you. Or your family along the way." Chris gently told her.

"Sure, why not? Jude and Chris are our pals! We can trust them! Right, Elly?" Teepo jovially declared to which Elize nodded.

"Thanks, Elize. You just wait right here." Jude instructed her.

"We'll be back for you, alright?" Chris told the little girl. The moment they turned around though, Jude felt Elize grab his hand. They both turned to her with surprised and questioning look on their faces.

"What is it, Elize?" Chris asked her but she remained silent and instead opted to look down shyly.

"Oh, you want to come with?" Jude surmised. Elize smiled, giving them their answer.

"Come on then." The older girl said with a nod of her head, signaling her to follow them. And together, the three of them left the tiny shed. Elize was starting to get hesitant though and she promptly stopped in front of the shed and looked around. Chris noticed this and approached her.

"Come on. It'll be okay. I promise." She assured the girl as she held her hand out. Elize smiled as she nodded and took her hand before they continued walking to the town.

"So, do you know man who took you here?" Chris asked her.

"He says his name is Jiao. But I don't know anything other than his name." She shyly answered as they arrived to the town proper. They spotted Milla and Alvin waiting for them by the Mayor's house.

"Don't worry about them. They're nice people." Chris tried to reassure the girl.

"Hey, there you are." Jude greeted them.

"Oh, it's the doll girl." Alvin said as he took a good look at Elize. Noticing his gaze, she blushed and hid her face behind Teepo.

"We're finished here. We didn't learn anything useful. It's time to go." Milla declared before turning around and starting to walk. Jude immediately called for her as he approached.

"Wait, we need to talk. It's about the girl."

Milla sighed in exasperation but decided to hear him out, nonetheless. They walked off to the side with Alvin while Chris stayed behind to entertain Elize.

"So, what's this about the girl?" Milla asked him as she crossed her arms.

"Remember that huge guy that drove off the Rashugal soldiers earlier?" He asked them.

"Yeah, what about him?" Alvin asked as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Elize told us that his name was Jiao and he was the one who brought her here and locked her in the shed by the orchard. They arrived in Amnis but for some reason; the people don't like her." He explained to them.

"The villagers do seem to treat her like a pariah." The mercenary pointed out.

"Until that big fellow Jiao returns, I don't see her situation improving." Milla contemplatively said.

"But Elize insists Jiao isn't her friend." Jude reasoned with her as they looked at Elize, who was bouncing Teepo like a ball under Chris' watchful eye. Unfortunately, she bounced Teepo too high that he rebounded all around them and only stopped when he managed to chomp on Chris' head.

"He locks her up when he's around and the villagers treat her horribly when he's away. Sounds like she's stuck between a jerk and a hard place." Alvin said with a serious tone.

"Unless we bring her with us." Jude suggested to them.

"Bring her with us? And then what? Have you given this any thought?" Milla asked him. "You do remember my mission."

"Yeah, I know." Jude said with a sigh as he looked down at the ground. However, when Milla saw his "kicked puppy"-as she's read about-expression, something in her made her concede to his suggestion.

"Very well, she can come." She declared as she put a hand on her hip.

"Really?" Jude asked in surprise at her sudden change of heart.

"Jude. Do you remember what I told you at the falls?" She questioned him.

"Huh?"

"Be yourself, and do what you have to do. That's what I said to you." Milla reminded him.

"Yeah, I remember." He answered as Alvin observed them.

"Those words still apply. Can I assume your decision to bring the girl is just another step in your path? That it will help you find the answer you seek?"

"Y-Yes." Jude nervously answered.

"Then tell Elize she's coming." Milla instructed him.

"You got it." Jude said with a huge grin before running over to where Chris and Elize were.

"So, what's the verdict?" Chris asked as she put a hand on Elize's shoulder. Jude gave her a knowing smile before bending down to Elize's eye level.

"Elize, would you like to come with us? You can if you want to." Jude told her with a small smile. Elize hesitated for a bit before looking up at him and giving him her answer.

"Yes."

The two teenagers smiled at the girl's answer and they both made a gesture for her to follow them and they approached Alvin as Milla walked away. They followed after her immediately to the village entrance and while Alvin and Milla walked on ahead of them, Elize stopped in her tracks and turn around, making Jude and Chris do the same. They turned around as well just to see what she was looking at. Turns out that some people were watching them leave. With a small smile on her face, Elize waved at them but the people just turned their backs on her. Jude sighed in exasperation with the people's attitude. But it's not like he can do anything about it.

"Elize, we have to go." Chris told the girl as she gently held her by her shoulders. Looking up at her, Elize nodded and held her hand as she allowed herself to be led away from Hamil. After a while, they finally caught up to Alvin and Milla.

"Nice of you to finally catch up." Alvin told them.

"Yes, nice of you to wait for us too. Jerk." Chris mumbled sarcastically. Jude noticed Elize's discomfort and wondering who these people are.

"Oh, I guess I haven't properly introduced Elize yet." He said.

"I'm Elize Lutus. Hello." She shyly greeted them.

"Well, you look like you'll be a fine lady when you grow up." Alvin told her as he approached her.

"Way to add to your creepy factor, Alvin." Chris mumbled out but Alvin ignored her.

"I'm Alvin. It's nice to meet you."

"I, um, well…"

"Don't talk to strangers, Elize. Strangers are bad." Teepo reminded her.

"Why is this stuffed animal talking?" Milla asked them. Chris couldn't resist putting a palm to her face.

"Huh? Teepo always talks." Was the little girl's answer.

"Naturally." Teepo followed up.

"Oh. So I'm the one who's reacting strangely?" Milla prodded them.

"Sure looks that way!" Teepo declared as he put himself closer to Milla's face.

"I'm arguing with a stuffed animal." She said in an amazed voice. "How unusual."

Chris', Jude's and Alvin's eyebrows rose at her remark all of a sudden.

"Looks who's talking." Chris muttered to them as she started walking.

"Unusual, she says." Alvin said.

"Coming from you, Milla?" Jude asked in disbelief before following after Chris.

* * *

**SKIT: The Aunt (Alvin, Chris and Milla)**

**Alvin: **So, Chris, you seem to be experienced with kids. I thought you were the little sister?

**Chris: *uncertain* **What kind of drug are you on this time, Alvin? Where are you going with this?

**Alvin: *defensive* **Hold your horses. I just want to know how come you're so good with kids.

**Chris: **Oh, is that all? Well, if you must know; my Aunt is the reason I'm so good with kids.

**Milla: **Oh, then that means you have cousins then? Did you care for them as well when you lived with her?

**Chris: *surprised* **What? No! I never said that. My Aunt's as single as she comes.

**Milla: **Then, how is she the reason?

**Chris: **My Aunt is a teacher and she sometimes tutors 8 year olds at our house so I had to watch over them and play with them sometimes. She taught me how to deal with little kids and how to care for them too.

**Milla: **Where is she now then?

**Chris: *sadly* **I-I don't know. I haven't seen her since I ran away from home. I don't even know if she hates me for leaving her alone.

**Milla: **I highly doubt that.

**Alvin: *arrogantly* **She's single? Mind introducing me to her, then? I happen to be good with the ladies, you know.

**Chris: **I would rather get stabbed in the neck a thousand times over again.

* * *

As night falls on Auj Oule, the group finally arrived in the Aladhi Seahaven yet again and obtained new weapons. Chris marveled at the new Broadsword she obtained and so did Elize at the Ruby Wand that Alvin and Chris bought for her using the money they obtained in jobs. They approached the ticket seller immediately after that.

"Excuse me, when is the next ship leaving for Fennmont?" Jude asked him.

"I'm afraid the Rashugal government has blockaded the capital and its surrounding regions. That means all scheduled voyages to Fennmont have been cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience." The ticket man answered with an apologetic tone.

"Are any ships sailing?" Milla asked him.

"Sorry, ma'am." He said before he suddenly remembered something. "Ah, but the route to Sapstrath Seahaven is still open. Would you like a ticket to the Sapstrath Seahaven?"

They all shared a knowing glance for at least 10 seconds before deciding.

"We'll take it. 5 tickets. Thanks." Chris told him before handing out the payment and collecting their tickets.

"Very well. Please board the ship and await departure."

They all nodded and went to the boarding area. While Jude, Alvin and Elize didn't go in right away, Chris and Milla did. They both stayed by the railings and observed their three companions.

"So, what do you think of this?" Milla asked her all of a sudden.

"What?" Chris asked as she leaned on the port side of the ship.

"About bringing the girl along. What do you think?" Milla clarified for her. Chris contemplated for a few seconds before sighing and answering her.

"What I think about this situation is a double edged sword. Personally, I think this is a bad idea. But I kinda felt bad for the girl so I guess it's kinda good that we got her out of there."

"So, you support Jude's decision?" She asked the younger girl as they watched Alvin's pigeon fly off.

"I never said that. I was merely neutral in the decision. Jude's decision was his and his alone. And also, my opinion in this doesn't matter. She's Jude's responsibility but I won't hesitate in helping him care for the girl. He can't possibly do these things on his own." She told Milla. All of a sudden, their ship's horn started blowing.

"Looks like we're sailing out." Chris pointed out before yelling at the others. "Hey, get in here! Unless you guys want to be left behind!"

Alvin, Jude and Elize climbed the stairs to the boat immediately and as soon as they got in, the ships started to move along with them. A sailor from the other ship waved at them.

"Fair Winds and Following Seas! **(1)**" Chris yelled at the sailor with a wave.

"Fair Winds and Following Seas!" He replied before their ships started distancing themselves from one another.

"What does that mean, Jude?" Elize asked him as she turned to him.

"It's a Navy greeting, Elize. Do you know what a Navy is?" He asked her but she shook her head.

"A Navy is a division of the military that specializes in naval warfare. Or sea battles, if that's what you prefer. They don't just fight though; they also patrol the seas under their country's territory." Alvin informed her.

"It's Rieze Maxian tradition to greet fellow ships 'Fair Winds and Following Seas' as a good luck sentiment." Chris said as she walked up to them.

"Wow, you guys know a lot!" Teepo exclaimed in amazement. Chris chuckled at the statement.

"Haha…maybe…but there's still a lot that we don't know. Contrary to what they say; adults don't know everything, Elize. Remember that." She told her as she patted her head.

"Yes, Ma'am." Elize said before rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Tired?" Jude asked her and she nodded.

"Come on. I'll take you to the cabin. I could use a good rest myself." Chris offered as she held her hand out, which Elize immediately took before they walked off. Eventually, they arrived at their designated cabin and Elize took her shoes off before climbing onto bed with Teepo beside her. Chris pulled the blanket from under her and pulled it over her as she settled in.

"Hey, Chris."

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have two Lilium orbs sticking together?" Teepo asked her for him and Elize.

"How do you know about that?" She asked the young girl.

"I saw it earlier and I asked Alvin what it was. He said a person can only have one at a time. So why do you have two?" Elize asked her. Chris sighed as she tucked the covers around Elize's small frame.

"It's a long story. It starts off as a legend but as it goes on, I'm sure a smart girl like you can fill in the blanks as it goes by. So, do you want to hear it?" Chris asked her as she tapped her nose and the little girl nodded.

"Hooray! A bedtime story!" Teepo cheered on. Chris chuckled before composing herself and starting on her story.

"Long time ago, when Rieze Maxia was still in its infancy, two brothers were born. Twins. And when they came out of their mother's womb, there, clenched in their dainty hands, were Lilium orbs. These twins were the first pair of Lilium Twins…"

* * *

**AN: Alright everyone! That's it! This is Chapter X of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Now before anything else, I'm going to tell you guys the meaning of the single number that can be easily spotted in this chapter.**

**1 – The term "Fair Winds and Following Seas" is often used as a good luck sentiment by the United States Navy (which I totes don't own just like Tales of Xillia so disclaimer over here). I first heard this greeting in the TV Series NCIS (my family and I watch a lot of crime shows). I just totally made up the fact that it's a Rieze Maxian custom.**

**And that's the meaning of the number. Anyways, I just want to ask you guys this question as early as now so I can start mapping things out, okay so here we go: **

**DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO SAVE FRACTURED MILLA BY THE TOX2 STORYLINE? **

**Please tell me so I can make the equation for this and properly solve it so it doesn't look like a total rip off from KingRPG's "A Different Path" (which you guys should totally read by the way if you haven't). If you guys don't want to tell it to me via review and you prefer to vote (or to...you know...drill your votes into my skull); I shall be leaving a poll in my profile so that everyone can vote in. However, should the end result be a 'yes' vote, please keep it in mind that this result will not be without consequence for the readers (which will be to get hit by the feels train) because of the twist I intend to make in the end.**

**Anyways, that's it for Chapter X. Please leave your review and your favorites to this chapter and this story in general. I really appreciate them and they totes keep me going so please, please do so. Thanks to everyone for reading! Stay tuned! Until next time! Ciao! **


	12. Chapter 11: From Seahaven to Deepwood

**AN (03/16/15): Hello, everyone! GroundZeroFirework here! I'm sorry if this update took so damn long but as I was in the process of making this Finals week came in and it's just about to end by Saturday so just a few more days and it'll be "HELLO, SUMMER!" for me here in the Philippines. Well, here we are at Chapter XI of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Anyways, the voting for the you know what as everyone has seen in the previous chapter is still open and will be until the time that I have to write the chapter so please send in your votes via review or vote on the poll in my profile. This chapter might be a short one, though. And thanks to everyone who reviewed in the previous chapters. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Now, here we go.**

* * *

**CHAPTER XI:**

**FROM THE SEAHAVEN TO THE DEEPWOOD**

* * *

The next morning, Chris emerged from their cabin, expecting everyone to be above deck. For a couple of hours since breakfast, she stayed in the cabin and read a book that was in the ship. But after a couple of hours of sitting, her ass was getting sore. Above deck, she saw her companions there. If she ain't mistaken, Elize and Teepo were marveling at the sea. With a small smile, she walked up to Alvin and Milla.

"Just what was that little girl doing in the village?" Alvin asked them with crossed arms.

"Wasn't she being held captive?" Was Milla's question.

"Maybe it was the other way around. Maybe she was being protected." Jude surmised as she approached them.

"Sounds plausible. She's clearly well-fed. The only thing she was missing is social contact and a stable environment. I mean, I wouldn't exactly call getting locked up in a village full of hostile villagers stable." Chris said as she put her jacket and gloves on when all of a sudden, they heard a childish shriek.

"Elize?" Jude called for her in a panic but Elize didn't seem to hear him, for she was laughing carefreely with Teepo about something they saw in the water.

"Haha…Teepo, look!"

"Wah-hey! Check out that water! You'd die if you fell in!" He said in a disturbing yet carefree way. Jude breathed out a sigh of relief upon seeing that there was no real danger.

"She's not a bad girl." He insisted as he turned to them.

"Doesn't seem that way." Alvin said as he crossed his arms and watched the little girl.

"I wonder if we can find someone who'll take her in." Jude mused out loud as he looked at Elize play with Teepo.

"That's your responsibility. You'll have to find someone on your own." Milla harshly reminded him before walking up to the railings.

"Right. I guess she really is mad." He said once she was out of earshot.

"Not just mad. She's "cold-hearted bitch" mad." Chris said as she rubbed her wrist.

"Hey, come on." Jude admonished her.

"What? It's true. I personally don't see what you see in her. Are you a sucker for punishment or something? 'Cause let me tell you; that is not how you'll want your first relationship to go, Jud-o boy." She said with a sly smirk.

"W-What? What are you talking about?" Jude asked with a powerful blush on his face.

"Come on, don't play dumb." She said with a knowing smile just as Alvin walked up to them; seemingly having left for a couple of minutes.

"Hey, hey, what are you two aspiring doctors discussing?" He asked them.

"Just how Milla is being a cold-hearted bitch." Was Chris' answer.

"Is that so? Well, isn't she always like that?" Alvin asked them as he crossed his arms and observed Elize walk up to Milla before continuing on. "To be honest, I thought for sure she was going to shoot down your idea to bring the girl along."

"Why?" The younger man asked as he looked up at Alvin.

"She's just so single-minded. I bet she'd kick a puppy if it got in the way of her mission." He answered them.

"Come on, Milla isn't that cold-blooded." Jude said.

"I wonder."

"I beg to differ." Chris said as she crossed her arms.

"Speaking of her mission, I hear the three of you had a rough time at that lab in Fennmont." Alvin said as he slung his arms around them.

"Did Milla tell you about it?" He asked him.

"She must've swiped something big from there, huh, kid? Some juicy national secret that got the army all riled up?" The mercenary continued on.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her." Jude told him.

"Don't play coy, kid. I'll find out eventually." He said before looking at Chris.

"Don't look at me, Alvin. I don't spill the secrets of others." She said as she watched Elize and Milla converse.

"Aw…why don't you guys just tell me now?" Alvin suggested. "It'll be our little secret."

"I'm sorry but we really don't know." Jude told him. Finally, Alvin released them both and Chris walked towards the ship cafeteria.

"Wow, I guess she really doesn't trust us." He said in a pouting manner.

"No, that's not true. Wait here, I'll go ask her." The younger man offered.

"No, no. If you both really don't know about it, then forget I asked. I mean that; I'm not trying to give you or Chris a hard time." He told them. Jude looked down on the ground in silence.

"But…"

"I doubt she'll take kindly to me poking my nose into her business." Alvin cut him off. "So, don't tell her I asked, okay?"

"Alright. Got it." Jude answered with a nod. After a couple of more minutes, the ship's horn blared, signaling that they're nearing the Sapstrath Seahaven. Jude and Alvin approached Milla and Elize immediately.

"Hey, we better get our stuff." He informed them.

"You're right. Looks like we're almost there." Milla said in agreement.

"I wonder how tight Rashugal's security is." Alvin said before sharing a knowing look with Jude. Milla noticed this even as Teepo was circling her.

"Milla! Milla's our pal!" He declared. Milla let out an exasperated sigh as she shook her head before turning her back on them.

"Hahaha…looks like everyone's getting along at least." Jude nervously said in observance before he approached Elize with a small and comforting smile.

"Don't worry. Everything will work out." He assured her. Finally, Chris approached them once again with her weapons in hand.

"Hey, we're almost to the Seahaven. Go get your stuff." She told them. The other four left to collect their things and when Milla got hers, the moment she stepped foot on deck, a gruff, tall and young looking man approached her.

"Hey, beautiful, where you headed?" He asked her as he blocked her way towards Chris by leaning against the wall. Milla recalled what she's read about this phenomenon; it's called "flirting" if she's not mistaken. Something that people use to express romantic, sexual or a combination of both interests to another person.

"I don't see why you have to know. Now, if you'll excuse me." She rebuffed him. Before she can take another step though, he blocked her way yet again.

"Hey, come on, don't be like that." The man told her just as Jude arrived.

"Is there a problem, Milla?" He asked her. The man looked unhappy upon being interrupted.

"Who's this pipsqueak? Your boyfriend?" The man asked with an unimpressed and intimidating look. Milla read about the terms "boyfriend" and "girlfriend"; as she can recall, they're romantic partners of one person. But for Jude to be mistaken as her boyfriend was a bit amusing.

"N-No. You got it all wrong. We're just friends." Jude nervously said with a powerful blush on his cheeks.

"Well then, I'm sure you don't mind me stealing your lady friend away for a moment." The tall man said before grabbing Milla by the waist, which completely caught her off guard, much to her own surprise. Jude didn't know what came over him but when he saw the man grab her; something in his head clicked. In a fleeting moment of anger, Jude pushed the man away and pulled her back to his side.

"_Oh, no. I'm in trouble." _He thought to himself. The man recovered and looked angrily at him.

"Why you little punk!" The man angrily yelled out before raising his fist up. He may be tall and obviously strong but Jude's reflexes were faster and therefore, without thinking, as if on instinct, he clenched his fist and threw an uppercut, hitting him square in the jaw. The man chuckled and held his hands up in surrender.

"Fine, you can keep the skank." He said in an arrogant manner. Milla raised an eyebrow at the insult towards her. She wasn't bothered by it but Jude definitely was because he punched the taller man again. This time he fought back and punched Jude in the jaw before lifting him up and slamming him down. Jude kicked him the stomach to get him off.

"Jude, stop! That's enough!" Milla yelled at him just as Chris, Alvin and Elize came up. The two were rolling on the floor, hitting each other as Chris pried Jude off of the older man while Alvin pulled the other one away.

"Hey, hey, hey! What the hell is going on here?" Chris angrily asked them as she held a hand out in Jude's direction, signaling him to stop attacking.

"He insulted Milla!" Jude told her. Chris rolled her eyes at the reason.

"That pipsqueak threw the first punch!" The man said as he tried to charge at Jude.

"Wouldn't have happened if you just left her alone!" Jude yelled back.

"Okay, you! Cool off! I'll deal with you later." Chris ordered him as she forced Jude to turn around and pushed him to start walking. Elize followed after Jude and so did Milla. Chris turned to the other man afterwards.

"The next time a lady tells you to leave them alone, it'd be wise to do as they say, you got that?" She told him in an intimidating manner. The man conceded and nodded.

"Good. Now, scram." Alvin said before they walked up to Jude, Milla and Elize.

"I'm sorry, Milla. I don't know what came over me." He said as Chris healed his face. Once she was done, she slapped his face.

"Damn right you should be sorry." Chris angrily said through gritted teeth. "The plan is to not draw too much attention to us and you do the exact opposite. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Hey, take it easy." Alvin told her.

"Please don't fight!" Teepo chimed in.

"I'm sorry but he insulted Milla." He tried to reason with her.

"Yeah, well, Milla can fight her own battles, kid." Chris said as she rubbed her forehead.

"It's alright, Chris. I have to admit it's really flattering to have someone fight for your honor." Milla said as she crossed her arms and smiled at him. Jude's blushed returned tenfold. Chris rolled her eyes as she threw her hands up.

"That's it. I'm done. You're completely missing the point. I'll be right over there." She said before she walked away. Elize followed after her while Alvin shrugged in response before going off on his own, leaving Jude and Milla on their own until they arrived at the Sapstrath Seaheaven.

* * *

After a few minutes, the group finally arrived at the Sapstrath Seahaven. The three older ones looked around for a bit, wondering where security is. Security seems so…lax…in the Seahaven. Is no one looking for wanted criminals in this part of Rashugal?

"Looks like security's not so tight after all." Alvin stated.

"Soldiers are still patrolling though; we have to be careful." Jude said as he observed the soldiers clad in green armor that were patrolling around the Seahaven.

"Strange. What changed? They were deploying soldiers across the border to find us before." Milla said in contemplation.

"Maybe they found something more important to do than chase after us." Alvin tried to guess with a shrug.

"I doubt that." Chris said as she put a hand on Elize's shoulder so she wouldn't wander off.

"I'm not complaining. Let's avoid the soldiers and head to Fennmont." Milla said. Alvin, Milla and Chris walked off while Jude stayed to talk with Elize. They heard Jude tell her of his intentions to find someone to take her in and they could obviously see the fear and disapproval from Elize and Teepo.

"That could've gone better." Alvin said as he crossed his arms and observed them. "He just told the little lady he's unloading her on a perfect stranger. That's news to her. No wonder she looks so surprised."

"And he thinks I'm inconsiderate."

"_Don't comment. Don't comment. Don't comment." _Chris chanted in her head from her perch by the steps.

"He's just a kid." Alvin muttered out, earning him a questioning look from Milla.

"Nothing." He added before she could ask anything else. Finally, Jude and Elize walked up to them; the latter of which looking downhearted.

"Ready to go?" Chris asked and they both nodded. They looked around the Seahaven and as they passed by the board near the ships, Chris noticed something. She immediately latched her hand onto Jude's shoulder as she kept staring.

"What?" He asked her but never received a response. Following her gaze, his face went pale when he saw what she was looking at. Finally, Elize, Milla and Alvin approached them upon seeing that they stopped following them.

"What's the hold up?" Alvin asked but when he saw what they were looking at, they could swear he wanted to laugh. On the board were hideous wanted posters of them.

"Those wanted posters…is that Jude, Milla and Chris?" Elize exclaimed in surprise.

"Wow, the three of you look so evil!" Teepo said.

"That's supposed to be the three of us?" Milla asked in disbelief as she crossed her arms.

"I'm not sure if I'm going to cry or laugh." Chris said as she stared at the pieces of paper with a hideous drawing of her and two of her companions.

"Well, this is lucky. If that's what they're looking for, there's no way they'll ever catch us." Alvin lightheartedly said.

"Oh, man…it's like a 5 year old drew it." Chris said.

"These are awful." Jude said as he looked down on the ground.

"Oh, I'm sure this can't be fun at your age. Kids can be so self-conscious." Alvin said with a shrug.

"Damn straight this ain't fun. What if my Aunt somehow recognizes me from this? How will I show my face to her then?" The younger woman asked in a panic.

"I doubt she'll even know it's you." The mercenary tried to comfort her.

"No, I don't care about me but Milla looks terrible!" Jude said.

"He's right; this is quite unfortunate." Milla spoke up. "The whole reason I assumed this form is because its appearance is effective against men. Half the human population."

"Did you have a master plan to seduce the male population of Rieze Maxia when you assumed that form?" Chris asked in curiosity. Unfortunately, it's like Milla didn't hear her because she continued her tirade.

"But if I'm as ugly as I appear in that poster, then I need to fundamentally reevaluate my strategy."

"Wow, that is diabolical. I had no idea." Alvin said.

"Oh, come on, you're not ugly." Chris tried to comfort her.

"Thank you, Chris. Your input is very much appreciated. But Jude, be honest with me; am I attractive from a male perspective?" Milla asked as she turned to the boy.

"Uh…well…you're beautiful in my opinion." He answered shyly as his face heated up. This confession and not to mention the fact that Chris was giving him a knowing smile, made Jude's blush ten times worse. While Jude was quite shocked that she would ask for his input, he wouldn't lie about this. She is quite beautiful after all. He'll admit it on the inside but if he was given the chance, he'd ask her out in a heartbeat.

"And sexy! Elly says she wants to look just like you!" Teepo weighed in.

"You have nothing to worry about, Milla." He assured her. Alvin tapped Chris' collarbone and he flashed a creepy grin towards her direction. She shook her head, knowing what he was planning. But as always, Alvin ignored her.

"So, what would you say are her finest features?" He asked the younger man.

"Oh, maybe how good she smells or those amazing curves…" Jude answered as if he was in a bit of a daze. Chris giggled because she knew that her friend and hopefully, soon to be colleague, is starting to have a crush on their beautiful companion.

"Oh man, don't start salivating now, you creepazoid. But then again, it's a sign that you've finally hit puberty." She teased him with a grin on her face. She had to admit; she never thought Jude would start liking someone. She always thought he was in a committed relationship with his studies. But here she learns that looks can be deceiving.

"Yes, I see. Thank you for your invaluable opinion." Milla told him.

"My, my, our little Jude is becoming a man." Alvin teased him as he bumped his fist with Chris'.

"I-I was just speaking objectively!" Jude said defensively.

"Yeah, sure. Objectively. Now, let's head for the inn and get some rest. It's getting dark." Chris said with crossed arms as she turned around and started walking.

* * *

**SKIT: You dig? (Chris and Jude)**

**Chris: **Psst…

**Jude: *uncertain* **Chris?

**Chris: **Who else?

**Jude: *exasperated* **You-You don't have to call me like a dog, you know. My name would be just fine.

**Chris: **Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen, you dig?

**Jude: *confused* **W-What?

**Chris: **You dig? ***slyly* **You know, dig? You dig her?

**Jude: **I'm afraid I'm confused.

**Chris: *exasperated* **Do you dig Milla? You know? Do you like her? Are you having a crush on her?

**Jude: *surprised* **Wha-what? Wh-What makes you say that?

**Chris: **Come on, Jud-o boy, not all of us are as dense as you are sometimes. That display of chivalry in the ship and what you said like, literally, 5 minutes ago are telltale signs that you dig a chick.

**Jude: *shyly* **I…well…she is really beautiful…and her strength and determination is nothing to laugh at either. Any man would be a fool to not like her. I'd be lying if I said I don't like her.

**Chris: *surprised* **Holy crap, Jude Mathis is indeed becoming a man. ***joyfully*** Oh man, if ever we get to go back into Talim, I'm telling everyone about this and you'll go down in history as one of Talim's most notorious heartbreakers!

**Jude: *surprised* **Please don't do that!

* * *

They all heaed to the inn, deciding to rest for a bit before continuing on. Jude and Elize talked to Milla, Alvin kept himself close beside them while Chris decided to check out the rooms they had. As Alvin stood there, however, he noticed something.

"Please, I'm in a hurry!" A woman yelled at the innkeeper.

"Hm?"

"What is it?" Jude asked as Chris approached them.

"That woman…" was Alvin's sole response.

"Not even 10 minutes and you're already skirt-chasing. What are you? Some sort of Drugstore Cowboy?" She rhetorically asked him. Alvin gave her a sly smirk for a second.

"Maybe. She's quite a looker, eh? What do you think?" He asked Jude.

"Ugh, this again." Jude whined.

"Give it up, Alvin. He only has eyes for-"

Before Chris could say anything else, Jude covered her mouth and dragged her away. Alvin observed the young woman and saw 2 men approach her.

"Found you, Katte…" The shorter man said.

"Now come with us or else." The other man threatened her.

"N-Never mind. Just cancel my reservation." The woman, Katte, said before the two men escorted her out.

"_Now, this seems fishy." _Alvin thought before following them out. Jude turned around and saw him leaving. He tapped Chris on the shoulder immediately.

"Alvin's gone." He informed her.

"Probably chasing after some dame." She said as she crossed her arms.

"I don't know. I don't like this." He said as he looked at the door, as if expecting Alvin to walk in any moment now.

"He knows his onions, kid. Don't worry." She told him but still Jude didn't budge. Chris sighed and dug into her pocket.

"Here, if you guys want to go to the room. Jude and I are just going to check something out." She said as she handed Milla the key to their room. With a tilt of her head, Chris and Jude went out of the inn. They saw Alvin approaching someone. Then they heard the yelling.

"I can't believe we fell for your pathetic lies!"

"Please, I beg you! Let me go! Please! You don't understand!" They heard a woman yell in fear.

"Where is that coming from?" Chris asked as she rubbed the back of her neck and she looked around.

"Who are you working for? Tell us!" Someone demanded of the woman they heard. When she didn't answer, they heard a series of punches and kicks and the pained grunts of the victim. Finally, they heard Alvin's voice.

"I think the lady's had enough." He said as he stepped in between the men and Katte.

"Mind your own business! You don't know what she's done!" One of the men said. Before anything else can happen, Chris and Jude ran up to them.

"Alvin, what's going on?" Jude asked in wonder.

"Damn it! He's got friends. Let's get out of here."

And the two men ran with their tails between their legs.

"Katte, was it? That's an unusual name." Alvin said as he turned to her. Chris helped Katte up almost immediately.

"Why did you people help me? You don't know what they'll do to you!" She said in a frightened manner.

"Well, how do I put this…?"

"He's a skirt chaser." Chris said like it was no big deal.

"He can't help it. Alvin's always had a weakness for pretty faces." Jude added to her input.

"Hahahaha…that's my Jude! Always kidding around! Now, how about you and Lady Chris here take her back to the inn and heal her wounds." Alvin suggested with a smile.

"As you command, sir." Jude said as Chris mockingly curtsied before him. Afterwards, they escorted Katte back to the inn, leaving Alvin behind.

"She couldn't be one of them, could she?"

* * *

The events of the evening was rather uneventful; Katte accompanied them for the night just so they can make sure that those men won't come back for her. When it was time to turn in for the night, Jude and Alvin went into their shared bedroom, same with Chris, Milla and Elize while Katte went into her own room. When morning came, Jude woke up a few minutes after Chris did.

"Have you seen Alvin?" He asked her.

"Good morning to you, too. And no, I haven't." She answered as she put her jacket on and tied her hair. "Maybe he's outside. Let's check it out."

They both walked out of the inn and they saw Alvin sitting by the entrance.

"Morning." Chris greeted him.

"Good morning." He responded.

"Good morning. Have you seen Katte today?" Jude asked him.

"She left before dawn." Was Alvin's answer. Now that just seems a bit dodgy. Was she trying to get herself killed? All of a sudden, they heard one of the people yell out.

"Hey, over here!"

The three of them ran towards where the people were gathering. It was one of the stairs of the port where sailors kept their cargo. There, at the foot of the stairs, was the lifeless body of Katte.

"This was no accident. Who would do such a thing?" The sailor who was examining the body said.

"Katte!" Jude exclaimed in surprise as they approached the body.

"Did you know her? I'm sorry, but she's already gone." He said in an apologetic tone as Chris kneeled beside the body. She made a move to touch the body but…

"Please don't touch the body until the investigators come." The sailor requested.

"Trust me. I'm a doctor." Chris said without a hint of a lie in her voice. The sailor reluctantly nodded and she started examining Katte.

"Body's cold, indicating she's been dead for hours and with the onset of Rigor mortis, I'd say time of death is about…six to eight hours ago. Just before dawn." She informed them before returning to her examinations, noticing a few peculiarities with the body as she further rolled Katte's sleeves down.

"Huh, bruising here suggests there was a struggle. My guess is she held her hands out to defend herself. Whatever the killer used to attack her hit her there." Chris announced. "Bruising on the knuckles. Suggests she fought back. Maybe managed to get a good blow or two to the attacker. Broken fingernails with blood underneath says she scratched the attacker somewhere."

Chris turned Katte's head on the side, noticing some marks in it before examining the palms.

"Ligature marks." Jude said.

"Yeah. Strangled by something. Rope or cloth. Dust in hand says she tried to stand up during it but I doubt she was able to. She's obviously been like this for a while now before she died."

"How can you tell?" The sailor asked. Chris stood and approached him.

"Fairly simple, really. Get on the ground." She ordered him. The sailor did so immediately and Chris sat on top of him.

"Now, see, she's probably been like this before she got strangled, judging from the amount of dirt from her hand and how it's pressed up in her palms. Now as the killer strangled her..." Chris said as she demonstrated by pretending to strangle him. "...she probably tried to stand. But couldn't. Only possible explanation is the killer was either sitting or standing on her. That attempt was moot because the more she lifted her head, the more the killer strangled her because she couldn't stand up. She also can't keep trying because it would've hurt her back. Hence, the cause of death is strangulation for the young Miss Katte. Sadly."

"But what happened? Was it those two men from yesterday?" Jude asked, confused as to how this could just suddenly happen. Chris got off the sailor immediately.

"No, it wasn't them." Alvin said with a grave tone in his voice.

"Do you know who did this?" The younger man followed up. Alvin didn't answer and instead, turned to the sailor.

"Hey, could you give us a moment here? It won't take long." He requested of the sailor. The sailor nodded and left but stayed at the top of the stairs to stop people from coming too close to the scene.

"She never came out and said so but I suspect Katte was a member of the Rats."

Chris' eyebrows scrunched up as she found the name familiar.

"The Rats?" Jude asked in curiosity.

"That's what they call the female spy organization that works for the Aktau clan. They're one of the shadier tribes in Auj Oule." Alvin answered him. Chris took a deep breath as she closed her eyes.

"Of course. It just had to be them." She muttered to herself. Thankfully, neither of her companions appears to have heard her.

"The Rats use women to gather intelligence. As their name implies, they sneak in anywhere. Like rodents. They're pretty well known in Auj Oule. " He continued on.

"I can't believe it." Jude said in disbelief.

"I don't think those thugs from yesterday had caught on to her real identity." Alvin surmised. "They must have been from the group she was spying on. They wouldn't have gone this far."

"Then who?" Jude pressed on.

"Other Rats. With her cover blown, she became a liability." The mercenary answered.

"In the game of espionage, you can't let yourself be discovered or you'll get killed." Chris told Jude.

"I had a hunch that she might have been a spy, but this might be my fault." Alvin said in a downhearted manner.

"No. This isn't your fault." Jude insisted.

"I wonder if she had any family. Someone she's doing this for aside from herself." Chris said in contemplation, catching Jude and Alvin's attention.

"You guys done?" The sailor asked them.

"Yeah. Thanks for that." Alvin said. Chris and Jude stood up and Jude turned to Alvin.

"You okay?" He asked him.

"Yeah. These things happen. You just have to put it out of your mind. You can't save everyone, kid." Alvin answered with a shrug. His last words brought a pang to Chris' heart.

'_You can't save everyone.' _

Oh, how she's heard that sentence so many times in her life. As a daughter, as a sister and as a doctor, she hears that sentence all the time.

"_If only I could do the opposite." _Chris thought to herself. Without another word, they all left the body alone. Once they were near the inn, Jude spoke up.

"Chris, isn't the Aktau tribe your rival tribe?" Jude asked her.

"Yeah. I know you're going to ask how I'm doing but I'm fine, to be honest. I'd go after them but the trail's gone cold." She answered, rubbing her face in frustration. Jude looked a bit shock at how Chris accurately predicted what he was going to say. But he guesses she's heard it so many times already when she sees something like this. Without another word, they entered the inn to pick up Milla and Elize. Both were awake and were eating sandwiches that they bought.

"Good morning." Elize greeted them as she finished her sandwich.

"Good morning." Jude greeted her with a smile.

"You guys ready to go?" Alvin asked. They both nodded and they left the seahaven. As they walked along the Sapstrath Highroad, Chris and Elize walked ahead of Jude, Milla and Alvin, who were talking about Ivar and that wanted poster Milla tore down. Personally, Chris thinks she should have the common sense to know they're just going to make a new one to put up.

"Hey, Elize?" Chris called for her. Elize stopped in her tracks and turned to her, holding Teepo in her arms.

"Yes?" She meekly responded.

"I hope you don't mind my asking but…where are your parents? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Chris said. Elize looked down and thought about it for a bit before answering.

"I-I don't know where they are." She answered as she patted Teepo's head.

"H-Hey, it's okay. Don't worry. Maybe we'll find them along the way." She comforted the younger girl.

"W-Well, what about y-you?" Elize shyly asked her.

"Huh?"

"Where's your mommy and daddy, Chris?" Teepo asked. Chris took a deep breath before answering.

"Well, my daddy's off somewhere and my mommy died when I was 5."

"W-We're sorry." Elize said as she hid her face behind Teepo.

"It's okay. You didn't know any better. Come on, let's get a move on." Chris said as she put an arm on Elize's shoulder and they continued walking with Jude, Alvin and Milla still behind them. As they kept walking, however, they eventually noticed some soldiers examining the caravans. Chris grabbed Elize's shoulder so she wouldn't walk up to them. It would draw unwanted attention.

"Crap." Chris muttered out.

"A military checkpoint." Milla noted.

"I knew things were too easy." Alvin said, putting a hand on his hip.

"What'll we do?" Jude wondered.

"Wah-hey, what's over yonder?" Teepo asked as he and Elize looked over to the side. They all looked to the side to see what they were looking at. They saw a cliff with some vines to climb on, leading to the woods.

"That's the Deepwood." Jude informed them.

"If we can hike our way through there, we'll come out right near Sharilton." The mercenary said in realization.

"Then our path is clear." Milla said as she walked towards the cliff.

"It won't be easy going. What about Elize?" Jude asked her.

"You knew she'd face risks on this journey." She reminded him with a stern voice. Elize looked down, feeling guilty for making them fight.

"I'm fine. Really. I can go with you." She voiced out.

"Don't argue, you guys! You're pals, remember?" Teepo added.

"The girl has agreed, so this matter is no longer open to debate." Milla said as if they were discussing politics before she walked away. She climbed the vines first and gradually climbed up. Chris sighed, wondering how Elize was going to climb that up. Suddenly, she thought about something.

"Okay, kiddo, welcome to Wall Climbing 101, I'll be your Professor in this class so make sure you pay close attention, alright?" Chris told her with a wink and a smile on her face. Elize smiled at her and nodded. When Milla has climbed up on the wall, Elize grabbed the vines next with Teepo secured to her like a backpack.

"Now don't forget to keep a tight grip and secure your foot on the vines alright. They're sturdy so you don't have to worry about them falling off." Chris told her as she kept a close eye on Elize.

"Okay." Elize responded. She kept climbing until she was almost to the top. Just as she was nearing the top, her grip weakened. She would've fallen if only Milla didn't grab her hand.

"It's okay. I got you." Milla assured her as she pulled Elize up.

"Th-Thank you." Elize shyly said. Chris followed after Elize and pulled herself up before lying down on the ground.

"It's been a while since I've done that." She said as she sat up. Finally, Jude and Alvin managed to climb up and they all continued on into the Deepwood.

"You seem to know a lot about this area." Elize noted as she looked up at Alvin.

"Never actually been into the Deepwood before. But, there's a first time for everything." He answered her as they walked. They walked into the Deepwood, taking in their surroundings.

"Look at all these big ass trees." Chris said as she looked around.

"Quite a dense forest." Milla noted as they walked.

"Let's try to stick together, okay?" Jude suggested. Elize immediately took Chris' hand so she won't get separated from them. They stopped at the clearing to look around for a bit and they heard a loud rustling. Jude was alarmed immediately and looked up with Chris following his gaze. Above them was a wolf, standing on the massive root of a tree.

"Oh, no, you are not ripping my face off again." Chris said as she put a hand to one of her daggers. Elize gasped in fright as she clutched Chris' jacket.

"It'll be okay, kid." She tried to assure her. Curiously though, instead of attacking them, the wolf just stared them down and ran away.

"What was that?" Alvin asked in curiosity.

"Was it warning us, maybe?" Jude wondered out loud as Milla walked away and Elize following after.

"Well, Milla doesn't seem fazed." The mercenary said. Elize turned to them and Teepo spoke up.

"I see away through! Hurry up, you guys!" He said.

"Great. Even the spud is getting gutsy. Let's go." Alvin said with a shrug. They approached the tunnel that Milla was looking at.

"Anyone want to take point?" Chris asked. She hates a lot of things and tunnels in the deep, dark woods are one of them. It brings the possibility of spiders to a higher level. Just thinking about it makes her skin crawl. None of them answered her, however. Chris sighed and went in.

"Yeah…tunnels in the deep, dark woods…definitely not creepy…" She muttered to herself as she crawled ahead with Milla following her. Finally, they got to the other side of the tunnel. They saw a wall with vines that they can climb on and approached it. Before any of them can grab onto it, however, they heard lumbering footsteps behind them. They turned around and saw a Sylvan Treant before them.

"Oh no." Chris muttered out as she pulled her sword out. They moved to attack but before any of them can get close to it, the Treant wildly waved its long arms, hitting all of them at once.

"Ow!" Chris yelled out in pain.

"That thing's got a reach. It can hit all of us with ease." Alvin said in observation as he felt the stinging pain in his body fade.

"This could pose a problem." Milla noted as they heard Elize come closer. Chris turned and held her hand out to her, signaling for her to stay there.

"Elize, keep your distance." Jude warned her.

"We can't watch over you and fight at the same time. Stay back." Milla ordered her. Alvin turned his head and noticed that the Treant was preparing to attack them again.

"Jude!" Alvin yelled for him upon realizing that he was the most likely target. Jude was too late to hear him and he was hit by the Treant's arms, sending him spinning to the ground. Chris and Milla ran towards the boy and noticed his new injuries.

"Damn it." Milla cursed. Elize approached them and kneeled beside them.

"I-I can help." She insisted as she held her hands out and all of a sudden a large healing glyph showed on the ground and all of their wounds were suddenly gone as was the pain that came from them.

"Y-You healed us." Jude said in amazement. Needless to say, they were all shocked at how a 12 year old could summon a healing arte of that caliber that would take even experienced doctors years to master.

"Heh, glad you brought us along now, huh?" Teepo arrogantly asked them with what seems to be a smile on his face.

"Damn right we are." Chris said with a wide grin as they stood up. Ready and fit for battle, they all attacked the Treant at once. The Treant swung it arms and Chris rolled away from it, having seen it coming. Thankfully, she landed near the Treant.

"_Fireball!"_

Chris threw a fireball up in the air and swung her sword, propelling the fireball towards the Treant. The attack landed as Milla took the time to bind the Treant, leaving Jude open to attack the creature with his punches and kicks, eventually ending his onslaught with an arte.

"_Aqua sweep!" _

As Jude's attack landed, as did the Treant's arms. It practically bitch slapped him in the face. Jude was sent flying, yet he quickly recovered in midair and he landed on his knees and Elize approached him.

"_Pixie Circle!"_

It wasn't long after that did Milla start attacking the Treant immediately. She summoned a glyph under the Treant and after a while, it did its job for her.

"_Arrivederci!"_

A strong gust of wind surrounded the Treant and the petals knocked it upward. They all saw that the Treant was getting weaker as each moment passes. Chris delivered slashes to the Treant's body until it slapped her, sending her flying straight to a tree and knocking her out when she hit her head.

"_Pulse shot!"_

AAlvin's arte hit the Treant dead on, finally killing it. When they were done, Jude and Elize approached Chris, who was just starting to wake up. She groaned and groggily opened her eyes.

"Uh…what happened?" She weakly rasped out.

"Doesn't matter. How you feeling?" Jude asked her. Chris tapped her head with her palm.

"Uh, my ears are ringing. And I think I'm gonna hurl." Chris said before stopping for a second. "Yep."

And she did start vomiting. Jude held up two fingers in front of her immediately. Chris stared it down for a second before answering.

"Four."

"I'm holding up two fingers, Chris." Jude told her as he put his hand to the back of her head to heal her. "You have a Concussion. It's a good thing it wasn't bad enough to cause you a seizure."

"The lady already nearly got her face ripped off, got a concussion and she's doing quite alright." Alvin said as he helped Chris up.

"Are you well enough to go on?" Milla asked her and Chris hummed and nodded in response.

"Elize, how did you do that arte?" She asked the little girl.

"Yeah. Imagine; a little girl wielding artes like that." Alvin said as he twisted his wrist.

"Elize, you saved us." Milla praised her. But the only response they got was her cries. Jude approached her immediately.

"It's okay, Elize. You don't have to be scared anymore." Jude assured her.

"That's not it." She said.

"You two need to make up. Pals need to stick together." Teepo finished for her. Finally, Elize looked up to them.

"I promise I won't get in your way again. Honest!" She said with a small smile on her face.

"You heard the little lady. Now make nice with Jude here for Elize's sake." Alvin told Milla.

"Make nice? It's not like I'm angry or anything." Milla said as she crossed her arms.

"Oh, I beg to differ." Chris said as she had a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"That's not how it looks to me. You were getting along better before!" Teepo said as he floated in between Jude and Milla.

"I'll do my best, okay?" Elize vowed.

"Why do I suddenly feel like the villain here? Heh. Fine. All is forgiven." Milla lightheartedly said. Alvin walked up to them and wrapped his arms in their shoulders while Chris walked up and patted the little girl on the head.

"And hey, don't you have something to say to Elize?" Alvin asked them. Jude turned to Elize with a small smile on his face.

"Sorry for making you worry. And thank you." He told her.

"This is some serious friendship stuff right here! Level 99 on the friendship meter!" Teepo jovially said.

"Elize's healing artes could really help us in a pinch, don't you think so?" Jude said.

"Agreed. Thank you, Elize. We're counting on you." Milla told the girl with a smile on her face. Elize was not expecting the praise from Milla and looked down with a shy blush on her face.

"Sally forth, pals!" The doll said.

And sally forth they did, unaware that Alvin stayed behind for a second.

"Heh…what luck. Never expected a channeler like her to be along for the ride."

* * *

**AN (03/24/15): WHAT TIME IS IT? SUMMER TIME! IT'S OUR VACATION! Okay, I'll cut that out. Hey, everybody, what's up? As you guys can see it is now summer time and our vacation here in the Philippines. I'm sorry for the long wait I put you guys through but I just finished finals in school which is why it's already our vacation. And also, I may have gone into a Final Fantasy Type-0 cutscene marathon. Any Final Fantasy fans out there? Tell me this; do you guys think Square Enix is becoming crueler with each passing game? They killed a chocobo and had a guy skewer his girlfriend like she was barbecue for Christ's sake. Even if it was completely by accident. Anyways, enough ramblings. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I made it especially long for you guys to compensate for the wait. Please leave your reviews and your votes. The poll is still open. Until next time guys! Ciao!**


	13. Chapter 12: Escape the Deepwood

**AN: Hey, guys. I know it's been a while but I've had some stuff come up as of late but worry not, here I am. Anyways, I wonder if anybody liked that JuMilla moment I sneaked on the previous chapter. I hope you guys did. I had fun writing that. Anyways, thanks to those who left their reviews in the previous chapters; I really appreciate them. Without further ado, here we are at Chapter XII of ToX: The Lilium Twin.**

* * *

**CHAPTER XII:**

**ESCAPE THE DEEPWOOD**

* * *

After a few minutes of walking, squeezing through elevated tree roots and fighting mandragoras and basilisks, the group managed to clear one area of the Deepwood. They were standing atop a small cliff that can easily be jumped as long as there weren't any monsters waiting below.

"Jude, check for any monsters down there." Chris told him. Jude looked down immediately and saw no danger.

"Nope. Nothing there. Let's go." He reported before jumping down ahead of them. Milla, Alvin, Chris and Elize followed suit. But the moment their feet touched the ground, they felt something squishy and their eyesight became blurry.

"W-What the hell?" Chris said in between coughs as she lumbered around.

"Everyone okay?" Jude asked once he was done with his coughing fit.

"Where-Where is everybody?" Elize asked as she staggered away from the smoke.

"This smoke. What is it?" Milla asked as she wiped the tears caused by the smoke away. All of a sudden, they heard Alvin cough before answering.

"Urgh, my eyes. This ain't smoke. Some kind of spore, most likely."

"I bet these are smokeshroom spores." Jude said as he approached what they stepped on.

"Smokeshrooms. Then that means we should be safe. Smokeshrooms aren't poisonous anyway. Just painful." Chris said as she recalled their old lessons from Med School.

"Once the spores get in your eyes or nose…"Jude stopped for a second to cough before continuing on "…you can't stop crying."

"Doesn't bother me. What a bunch of crybabies." Teepo said as he floated around them.

"Yeah, well, not all of us are stuffed animals, Teepo." Chris snapped at him as she rubbed Elize's back. After a while, Elize stopped coughing.

"You alright there?" Chris asked her in worry.

"I'm fine." She answered.

"Yeah. Then let's move out. The sooner we get out of here, the better." Alvin said as he patted her in the head. Elize nodded and they approached another set of elevated roots.

"Careful, there are Smokeshrooms on the other side." She warned them as they crawled. They emerged from the other side and they climbed the small cliffs. The moment they climbed the second cliff though, a wolf attacked Alvin and bit his arm.

"_Aqua Sweep!"_

The wolf was clearly in pain after the arte landed but it didn't let go of Alvin's arm. It kicked its leg behind, sending Jude to the ground. Milla swung her sword and finally, the wolf let go of Alvin's arm.

"_Pow Hammer!"_

All of a sudden, a small red hammer landed on the wolf's head, distracting it from Milla and bringing its attention to Elize. She waved her rod, sending small stars onto the wolf's body, making it angrier than it already was. The wolf ran towards her but Chris ran as fast as she could and grabbed Elize before the wolf could get to her. Chris swung her sword, injuring its leg.

"_Arc Fire!" _

Bullets suddenly hit the wolf, significantly weakening it. While it was distracted, Chris and Milla thrust their swords, respectively stabbing the wolf in the throat and the rib. Pulling their swords out, the wolf whimpered and fell on its side, dead. Chris set Elize on the ground and they approached Alvin and Jude. His arm was completely healed and still functioning.

"Are you alright?" Milla asked him.

"Yeah. Still got my arm, so I'm fine." He answered with a smirk on his face.

"Let's go before more monsters come after us here." Chris said as she dragged Elize with her so they can continue on. They jumped down immediately and they kept on walking.

"Watch out, guys. There are little bugs everywhere." Alvin warned them.

"Yes, Alvin. We know." Jude said as he swiped a fly away.

"I wonder if Milla ever gets bitten a lot in that outfit." Elize said in wonder, managing to see Milla slap Chris' face upon spotting a mosquito on her cheek.

"Ow!" Chris complained as she cupped her cheek.

"You didn't know? She swats the bugs away with her hair." Alvin told her, capturing Chris and Milla's attention.

"Wow! Like the tail of a cow!" Teepo exclaimed as the older woman approached them. Chris shook her head in Elize's direction before continuing to walk ahead of them.

"Don't compare my crowning glory to the tail of a cow." She complained, obviously peeved by the comparison.

"'Crowning Glory'? Never expected such vanity from the Lord of the Spirits." The mercenary said in amazement.

"Sylph styled my hair for me." She admitted. "He said; 'You're in human form now, so you need to take care of your appearance.'"

"You have the Great Spirit of Wind style your hair? That's incredible." Elize said in admiration for the woman.

"Yes. I'm quite fond of it!" Milla boasted. "If I swing it around quickly, I can distract a foe between attacks."

"So you do swish it like a cow!" Alvin accused her.

"Is it me or does Milla seem to treat the Great Four like her personal servants?" Chris asked Jude as they walked ahead of their companions.

"Well, they did raise her from the ground up. They're probably pretty familiar with each other." He said.

"I suppose. But remember, there are people who ain't even really familiar with the people who raised them. Just look at you and me; ain't we the first and foremost examples of that?" She said with a smirk as she patted Jude's shoulder and she walked on ahead of him. As much as he didn't want to admit it; Chris' words rang true in his mind. Shaking his head, he followed after her. After minutes of walking, crawling and climbing, they finally reached a small clearing with a big tree in the middle of it. But it seems that's not the only thing in the clearing, for a pack of wolves came out.

"Oh, no." Chris said as she cautiously put a hand on the hilt of her sword

"We meet again." Jude said as he got into a defensive stance.

"They don't look ready to turn tail and run this time."

"Get along, little doggies." Teepo mocked them. The wolves growled and bared their fangs at them. Before they could attack, however, they heard loud footsteps, revealing the huge man from earlier.

"W-What are you doing here?" She asked him but he ignored her and addressed the wolves.

"Good dogs. Thank you for telling me of these intruders."

"I thought Ivar was the only one who could talk to animals." Milla said in surprise.

"No. Talking to animals is an Auj Oule arte called Beastcraft. Anyone can learn it, especially those of the Kitarl clan." Chris informed her.

"You're Jiao, right?" Jude asked as the man.

"Hmm? I don't remember introducing myself." He said in confusion.

"We heard your name from the people of Hamil. What do you want?" Alvin asked him.

"Is that not obvious? Come, child; we're returning to the village. And you…" He said as he turned to Chris. "Your father has sent me to return you to him. Come with me, now."

Milla, Alvin and Jude turned to Chris in surprise. However, they did recall that Chris said her father was close to the King of Auj Oule.

'_So that must mean, he has the connections and resources to send someone after Chris now that she's set foot on Auj Oule soil once again.' _Jude thought

"I think I'll pass." Chris said defiantly. Jiao ignored her and turned to Elize once again and held his hand out to her.

"You had me worried sick. I never thought you would leave the village while I was away." He said with what seems to be a small smile on his face. Neither of them could tell; it was kinda hard to tell that when the person in front of them has his eyes nearly closed.

"No, no, no, don't let him take us, Jude." Teepo said as he floated over to the young man and Elize walked up him. Jiao rubbed his head in annoyance at the refusal of the two girls.

"Do you have any idea how the villagers treated Elize when you left her alone?" Jude scolded him. Chris tugged at his sleeve immediately.

"Jude, I am warning you, he is not the type of man you want to be talking to that way." She warned him.

"I am truly sorry about that." Jiao said with a tone of sincerity.

"What exactly is Elize to you?" Milla asked him.

"Let's just say…I know where she used to live. Where she grew up." Was his only answer.

"So, are you taking her back home?" Jude asked him. Jiao didn't answer but simply looked down in the ground as if he was ashamed of something.

"Or, are you planning to lock her up in Hamil again?" The young man followed up.

"That is my business and mine alone! You will hand the girl over. Both of them." Jiao ordered them. Both Chris and Jude simultaneously held their hands out and looked at him with defiance. Jiao sighed and brought out his weapon; a large hammer.

"Then you leave me no choice."

They all drew out their swords in defense immediately.

"The bigger they are, right?" Alvin said in an attempt to lighten up the mood. Jiao rushed to attack them with his wolves and brought his hammer down. They all dodged before any of them got hit and used the dust that rose up to their advantage.

"Right, we need a game plan." Chris told Alvin.

"Oh yeah? What?" He asked her. Chris took a moment to analyze their situation and closed her eyes for a second.

"Right. It's simple. You and me, we take out the wolves. Jude, Milla, take care of Jiao! Elize, you stay back. Provide some support using your artes alright?"

"Okay!" Jude responded. Elize nodded and ran for safety while Alvin and Chris ran at the two wolves.

"_Fireball!" _

Like before, Chris threw a fireball in the air and hit it with the flat of her blade, propelling it towards the wolf and causing it damage. She ran towards it and swung her sword, hitting it in the rib. Jumping back a bit, she used another arte.

"_Demon Fang!"_

A shockwave travelled on the ground to the wolf, hitting it. It recovered immediately, however, and kicked her in the chest, which sent her flying. She back flipped midair and landed on her feet like a cat before running towards the wolf and swung her sword at the wolf five times, injuring it to the point where it was weakened considerably.

"_Tiger Blade!"_

The wolf was launched the air and Chris jumped up and brought her sword down on the wolf's head, killing it. Without delay, she ran towards Alvin, who was about to be mauled by another wolf. Again. She jumped and tackled the wolf away from him. The wolf clawed her thigh and her arm in annoyance, even managing to bite her hand again.

"Alvin, use an arte, dammit!" She yelled at him.

"_Pulse shot!" _

Before the bullet that was emitting a blue light managed to reach them, Chris let go of the wolf and jumped away at the last minute, hitting the monster instead and killing it. All of a sudden, a large glyph appeared beneath them.

"_Pixie Circle!"_

Alvin and Chris felt some comforting warmth spread through them as their bruises and wounds healed and they immediately ran to aid Jude and Milla, who were having a hard time battling Jiao despite the significant damage they've obviously done to him. Jude was in Jiao's grasp and he was thrown off to the side like a rag doll, prompting Elize to run up to him to heal him. Jiao menacingly approached Milla, ready to squish her like a bug with his hammer.

"_Arc Fire!" _

A burst of bullets suddenly hit Jiao's legs, distracting him from Milla to Alvin and Chris.

"I have no wish to hurt you, little one. But if you don't seize this foolishness, I may just have to do so." Jiao told her. Instead, Chris ignored him and ran up to him with her sword drawn out. With a loud yell, Jiao brought his hammer down on her, which she managed to easily dodge. Attempting to incapacitate him, she slammed the hilt of her sword to the back of his knee. It managed to bring him down on that knee for a while but it was an ample amount of time for Jude and Milla to make their attack.

"_Igneous Crush!"_

Fists of rocks erupted from the ground and hit Jiao. Before he could stand, Elize sent her light stars, hitting him in the body. Alvin meanwhile used an arte against him.

"_Terra Rupture!"_

Jiao staggered a bit, losing strength after the arte hit him. He didn't notice Chris behind him until she attacked.

"HERE IT COMES, PITCH NUMBER ELEVEN!" She yelled out as she prepared her arte.

"_Fireball!" _

As per usual, she summoned a fireball and threw it high in the air. Except this time, she made it extra special; she poured more mana than usual into the arte, creating a fireball the size of her head instead of a fireball the size of her fist. As the ball came down, Chris swung her sword, hitting the ball of flame with the flat of her blade and propelling it towards Jiao's back. With Jiao weakened, she ran back towards Jude and Elize. Before they could rejoice, though, Jiao got back on his feet.

"Lemme guess, you work out?" Alvin sarcastically asked him.

"Why must you remain with these people? They will bring you nothing but trouble, I'm sure of it." Jiao addressed Elize, ignoring Alvin's previous remark. Elize cautiously approached Jude, never taking her eyes off of the huge man.

"I want to stay with them because they made me their friend!" Elize answered.

"And friends don't leave friends alone!" Teepo added as he flew beside Jude.

"Elize." Jiao muttered before turning his attention to Chris. "You…you sully your brother's good name and memory by turning your back on your home. Your heritage. Do you really think he'd want you to turn your back on what you were meant to do?"

That ticked Chris off. How dare he? In her anger, she didn't notice that Jude was already formulating a plan to distract Jiao and get them out of there.

"Shut up! Do you really believe that? Did my father tell you to use Ethan's memory against me?" She asked him as she gripped her sword, ready for another bout against the giant. Milla sensed what she was about to do and so held her back by the shoulder.

"Milla! Alvin!" They heard Jude call for them.

"If it were up to me…I would not bring the two of you back. I'm not doing this by choice." Jiao said as he held his hand out. Alvin pointed his gun at Jiao, alerting him.

"Just put that away." Jiao warned him. Alvin ignored him and shot at the tree. Or at least what's left of it. He reloaded his gun and shot it one more time.

"What?" The tall man asked in confusion as it crumbled, unaware of the patches of Smokeshrooms just at his feet. The tree crumbled and fell at them, releasing a huge cloud of smoke.

"Cover your mouths up!" Jude yelled at them as he grabbed Elize's hand. Alvin grabbed Chris by the waist and they followed Milla's lead away from the area, leaving Jiao standing there alone.

"You don't want to be alone, huh?" He mused as he thought of Elize. "Then perhaps, all those people are actually good for you after all."

* * *

They continued running as fast as they could away from the area, hoping that he didn't follow them.

"Don't stop running. I see the highroad, we're almost there!" Jude yelled as he ran with Elize. After a couple of seconds more, they finally got out of the Deepwood and felt the sun on their faces and the fresh breeze on their skins.

"We made it." Milla said as they stopped to take a breather.

"Yeah and it seems he didn't follow us." Alvin said, still holding on to Chris by the waist on his side as if she was a book he had to return to the library.

"Yeah, you want to stop crushing my ribs there, boy-o?" She asked him with a strained voice.

"Whoops. Sorry 'bout that." He said as he unceremoniously dropped her on the ground. Chris lay there, relishing the feel of the sun on her skin.

"Never thought I'd see the day where so glad to see the sun." She said before standing up. "So, we should be near Sharilton, yes?"

"Yeah. Just straight ahead." Alvin said.

"We better move out then. None of us are fit for battle at the moment. We're all tired. Best course of action; avoid as much monsters as we could." Chris said as she approached Elize. She noticed that she looked extremely tired. She kneeled with her back turned to her.

"Huh?"

"Hop on, kid. Don't try to act tough." She offered with a smirk on her face. Elize nodded and wrapped her arms around the older girl's neck. It bothered Chris that Elize was light for a 12 year old. It could just be that she trained a lot but she couldn't know for sure. They all continued walking on the Highroad, with Alvin, Milla and Jude providing cover for Chris and Elize from weak monsters now and again.

"You see how that Jiao guy made monsters do his dirty work? Pretty neat trick." Alvin stated as they walked.

"Ivar has some ability to control monsters, but it's nowhere near that level." Milla said.

"I've heard there's a clan in Auj Oule that knows the secret arte of Monster Control." The mercenary said upon remembrance.

"I wonder how it works." Elize said from her perch on Chris' back.

"That's true. The clan is the Kitarl clan. Third largest of Auj Oule. I think. They call it 'Beastcraft'. Anybody from Auj Oule can learn it. It's free game. After all, monster domestication is one of the things we need to get by day by day." Chris stated as she paused for a bit to adjust her hold on Elize.

"I suppose you know some of this monster control arte?" Milla asked her in curiosity.

"Nope. But my mother did. I think my father does too. But what the hell do I know?" Chris answered as they walked.

"Monsters are a pain. They should just learn to talk like I can." Teepo whined as he floated near Chris.

"Come now, isn't it easier this way? Would you really want to kill a talking monster?" Alvin asked him as he put a hand to his forehead.

"Not unless I have to." Chris answered as they continued walking.

"I guess not." Elize said as she buried her face in Chris' hair.

"I would crush them with witty repartee." The floating doll answered.

"That's true. If we could negotiate with monsters, we wouldn't need to fight them at all." Milla wisely said.

"But even if they could talk, they'd all be speaking monsterese." Teepo said.

"Then hire an interpreter who's fluent in this language." Alvin told him with a small smile on his face.

"Haha…then in turns out that really is the secret arte." Milla humorously added.

"Alright, alright, let's move on now." Jude said with a small smile on his face. They kept on walking on the highroad, taking great care in avoiding monsters and idly talking. They learned that Elize liked food so much and Jude praised the girl for being so adept at spirit channeling. But then, Alvin decided to tease her, saying that the spirit will take a nice chunk of her brain if she channels spirits too much.

"Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?" Chris scolded him as she felt Elize shake like a sheep that lost all its fluff on her back.

"Come on, Alvin. Don't scare her like that." Jude added with an exasperated tone on his voice.

"Now, now…I'm sure the little lady knows I'm just joking, right?" He defensively said with a nervous smile on his face. When he looked over to Elize though, it was obvious that she didn't know he was joking.

"She's shaking like someone buried her in the Silea Tundra for a week, so no, I don't think she knows you're joking." Chris said with a frown.

"Well, she does now." Alvin added. Shaking their heads, the other two followed after Milla, who went ahead without them.

"Hey, I think I see the entrance to Sharilton." Jude said as he pointed. They all saw the gate on top of the hill and they immediately knew that they've arrived. Not wasting another second, they hiked up the hill and entered. Chris put Elize back on the ground once they entered the town. They approached some shops that were circling the large tree in the middle of the plaza.

"Sharilton. Well, we finally made it."

* * *

**AN: Hey, guys it's been awhile since I've posted and as compensation for that, you lovelies are getting two chapters in the same day. So yeah…please leave a review. Again, votes and the poll are still open. If you don't know about the poll, please refer to Chapter X of this fic. Thanks! **


	14. Chapter 13: City of Hails and Farewells

**AN: Hello everyone! This is GroundZeroFirework with the next chapter. Now as promised this is posted on the same day as Chapter XII. So, thanks to all the reviews that everyone will be leaving for all the Chapters of this story. Happy reading.**

* * *

**CHAPTER XIII:**

**THE CITY OF HAILS AND FAREWELLS**

* * *

"We sure took the scenic route." Alvin stated.

"And that big bearded meanie didn't follow us, did he?" Teepo asked as he and Elize cautiously looked behind them.

"I doubt it." Chris said as she patted Elize's head.

"Don't worry. He'd never follow us in a place like this." Milla assured her. They walked towards one of the shops as Alvin noticed the Rashugal soldiers.

"Hey, check out this shop. It looks interesting." He said a tad too loudly; to clear any suspicions those soldiers could have once they glanced their way as early as possible. The other four followed his lead, not noticing the danger around them. By the shop was a younger girl kneeling before one of the items and observing it and beside her was an elderly man, standing vigilant as if he was guarding the young lady.

"Welcome. Please browse all you want." The shopkeeper said.

"Looks like antiques. They're very nice." Milla said as she looked at a plate while Elize ran to observe what the other girl was looking at.

"Yeah. They're unique alright." Chris said as she picked up a green teacup, wondering if they're meant to be used or for just plain décor.

"Why do all the folks around here seem so tense?" Alvin asked the shopkeeper as he pretended to look at the wares. The shopkeeper sighed in exasperation before answering.

"Word is foreign spies broke into the military laboratory in the capital. The King sent his personal guards here. They're interrogating everyone who even looks at them funny. Not very good for business that's for sure."

Great. Word of their fiasco in Laforte even got to Sharilton. Elize, meanwhile, watched as the girl in pink picked up a cup and observed it.

"Wow. That cup is so pretty."

"Yeah, it's pretty all right. Pretty expensive! That's for sure." Teepo added.

"You've got a good eye, young lady." The shopkeeper praised the girl in pink. "That's a genuine Efreet-fired cup!"

They were all surprised at the claim. Not only was the cup probably old that Efreet probably made it but they were also surprised that the Great Spirit of Fire MADE cups!

"Is that right? So, this was hand made by Efreet?" The girl asked. Milla took the cup from the girl's grasp, much to their surprise. She threw the cup in the air before catching it with her right index finger, making it spin the same way she saw Chris do so in Nia Khera with the temporal stone as she examined it.

"Huh. Well, I highly doubt that." She said.

"Milla, that's rude. Don't do that." Chris scolded her as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"But it looks like these patterns are too wild. Efreet values order over all else." She defended as she caught the cup with her hand. The elderly man beside the young lady in pink laughed as if he found something humorous.

"Well, you talk as if you've had the honor of breaking bread with one of the Four Great Spirits." He said with a smile.

"Say you're the Lord of the Spirits and I will knock you into the next century." Chris warned Milla through gritted teeth. Though her voice was not loud enough to be heard by all around them, it was loud enough for Milla to hear the threatening tone of her voice.

"Your observation is accurate. True Efreet-fired ceramics are known for their geometric precision." The elderly gentleman said. They were astounded over his knowledge of the subject and watched as he picked up a plate and examined it.

"That's odd. The stamp here says this set was made over 18 years ago, I see." He stated.

"Yes, what about it?" The shopkeeper asked, unsure where he was going with this.

"That's quite peculiar. If I'm not mistaken, mankind lost the ability to summon Efreet around 20 years ago." He reminded the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was shocked at being found out. The young lady beside the gentleman stood up and took the cup from Milla's grasp.

"Efreet, didn't make it? What a shame, that's so disappointing." She stated. "But even still, I think it's a lovely cup, so I'll take it."

"O-Of course. I'll even be happy to offer you a nice discount." The shopkeeper offered. Once the transaction was done, the elderly gentleman and the young lady took them aside.

"Hehe, I got quite a good deal, thanks to your help." She addressed Milla. "I'm Driselle Sharil. Pleased to meet you."

"And I am the young lady's butler, Rowen. I'm happy to be at your service." The elderly gentleman said.

"Son of a gun…" Chris muttered to herself in amazement. Back in Fennmont, she had read about the Six Ruling Houses of Rashugal. Hell, they studied it for their General Education classes in their first year before actually moving on to practicing medicine.

"Thanks again. You simply must join me for tea at my manor." Driselle cheerfully offered them.

"Well, who are we to turn down a free lunch?" Alvin answered for them. "Shall we swing by later?"

"I live just south of the central plaza. I look forward to seeing you." She answered with a smile before walking away with Rowen following after her.

"Do we really have time for that?" Milla asked him.

"Well, I can think of several reasons we might want to take advantage of her hospitality." The mercenary said as he crossed his arms and winked at her with a grin on his face.

"He's right, actually. Staying at inns could be risky with all these guards everywhere." Jude stated.

"Yep. And I doubt any soldier would want to cross the Lady of the House Sharil, given how popular she and her brother are in this country." Chris said as she leaned by the lamppost.

"Hm, very well then. We'll take time for some tea after we traverse the town." Milla decided as she put a finger to her chin as if in contemplation. They all chuckled at her response, somewhat not expecting her to agree with them since she's so caught up with her mission.

"Alright then. Let's do some exploring." Chris declared and they headed for the central plaza.

* * *

**SKIT: A friend for Elize (Chris, Jude, Elize and Teepo)**

**Elize: She's so nice…**

**Teepo: Yeah, I like her.**

**Jude: *curiously* What are you guys talking about?**

**Elize: *shyly* N-Nothing.**

**Teepo: Mind your own business, Jude.**

**Elize: Teepo!**

**Chris: Come on, you can trust us.**

**Elize: *shyly* Um…it's just…that lady was so nice. Like you guys.**

**Chris: Oh…so that's it.**

**Jude: Would you like another friend, Elize?**

**Elize: Y-Yes.**

**Teepo: *sadly* We didn't have friends back in Hamil. All the kids were told to stay away from us.**

**Chris: Well, why don't you try befriending her? I'm sure she'll like you.**

**Elize: R-Really?**

**Jude: *cheerfully* Yeah, really. So, when we go there, try being friends with her alright?**

**Elize: *cheerfully* Okay!**

**Teepo: *cheerfully* You can count on us!**

* * *

They explored the central plaza of Sharilton and as usual, they bought new weapons to help them in their journey.

"Man, these are some sweet weapons." Chris said as she waved her new Steel Sword around as they approached the south of the plaza, just as Driselle told them where her manor would be. Jude, meanwhile, ran up to them after talking to a couple of people for information.

"Hey, what'd you overhear?" Alvin asked him.

"Nothing that's of any use, really. Except that there's been skirmishes between the Rashugal and Auj Oule armies." He reported to them.

"I wouldn't worry about that. If there's anything I know about the King of Auj Oule, it's he won't risk open war right now. Unless he's given reason to do so." Chris assured him as she put her hands on her pockets and they continued walking to the manor. As they were approaching the courtyard, they saw Driselle waving at them. Rowen was standing vigilant beside her.

"We've been waiting for you." Driselle said with a smile on her face. They were amazed at the size of the Sharil manor. It's like half of Talim Med!

"Wow, you live here?" Jude asked in surprise. Before anyone could say anything else though, they saw two soldiers exit the manor from behind them. Milla was about to pull out her sword until Alvin spoke up.

"Wait." He warned her as they saw a huge man and another shorter man exit and board the carriage that was waiting by the manor.

"Who was that?" Milla asked in curiosity.

"Have our guests departed?" Rowen asked Driselle, ignoring Milla's question. Rowen and Driselle led the group to the manor, just in time to see a weary looking young man with the same blonde hair and green eyes that Driselle has exit the manor. Despite the weariness, however, upon setting his eyes on them, he walked up to them with a smile on his face.

"Welcome back. Brought your friends, I see." He greeted them. Driselle's face lit up as if her parents have just given her a new gift for her birthday before running up to him.

"Cline, let me introduce you." She cheerfully said before turning to them but she stopped instead of speaking. "Oh, um, I never got their names."

"I hear you came to my sister's aid." The young man, Cline, said with a grateful smile and an equally grateful tone. "I'm Cline Sharil. I'm Driselle's older brother as you've no doubt guessed."

"Lord Cline is the governor here in Sharilton." Rowen kindly informed them.

"Really?" Jude asked in amazement, while the others were all shocked.

"How rude of us to keep you waiting outside. Please, let's continue our conversation in comfort." Cline offered them.

"We don't see why not. Thank you." Chris politely said. They were led inside and were offered to sit down.

"So, may I know the names of my sister's saviors, if you don't mind me asking?" Cline asked as he sat down on an armchair.

"I'm Jude Mathis." Said the young man as he sat on the couch.

"Milla." The older woman answered as she sat down beside Jude.

"I'm Christina Aifread. Please call me Chris." Chris told them as she sat on the armchair opposite of the young Governor.

"Alvin. Nice to meet you." The mercenary greeted them as he leaned on the wall.

"I-I'm Elize. A-And this is Teepo." The young girl shyly said as she looked down on the ground as if there was something interesting there.

"Please, tell me all about what happened at the market today when you came to Driselle's aid." The young governor insisted as Rowen came in with some tea and snacks. And so they recalled the story of what happened to him, hoping that he wouldn't find them suspicious and turn them in to the army.

"I see. And how did you manage to notice that it was a fake?" Cline asked them. Uh-oh. If Milla says that she personally knew the Great Spirit of Fire, they could be downright screwed. Before anyone could say anything, Chris intervened.

"Um…Milla here has a good eye when it comes to antiques." She easily lied without missing a beat. "She knows what's genuine and what isn't, so she just utilized that skill."

"Yes, that's exactly it." Milla said, catching on to what Chris was doing.

"Oh, I see. So you protected my sister from wasting her money on worthless trinkets again." Cline jovially said with a smile on his face.

"It's not worthless! Besides, I got a good deal and made new friends in the bargain!" Driselle exclaimed before turning to Elize with a smile.

"Wah-hey!" Teepo greeted her. Cline chuckled at the doll's antics but all of a sudden, Rowen approached them and whispered something in Cline's ear. The carefree smile on his face gradually melted as he listened on to Rowen's report.

"Rowen, please look after our guests." He instructed the elderly butler.

"My pleasure, sir." Rowen answered as he gave the young lord a small bow.

"I have some matters to attend to. If you will excuse me." Cline politely said before giving Driselle a knowing look and departing.

"I've gotta run too." Alvin declared as he separated from the wall.

"Huh?" Jude said as he looked at Alvin in confusion.

"Nature calls. Better leave before things get messy." He said with a wink before walking away. Okay, now that is just plain disgusting and impolite.

"So, you're on some great journey, huh? You simply must tell me all about your travels." Driselle declared as she stood up. Chris, Jude and Milla all shared a look, wondering what they were going to tell her.

"Well…um…" Elize nervously stuttered out before looking at Chris, who gestured for her to talk. To make friends with Driselle like they discussed earlier.

"I've never been out of this town. I want to hear all about the faraway places you've been." She added.

"I've never been outside either…but then…" Elize said before Teepo took over for her.

"Elly became pals with Jude and everyone!" He told the young lady. "We crossed mighty oceans and forbidden forests! We saw giant waves and toadstools that made everyone cry!"

Well, that covers all of it.

"Well, he sure is creative." Chris said as she drank the mint tea that they were offered.

"Saves us some time explaining." Jude said with a shrug.

"You actually sailed across the sea, Elly? I've never seen the sea before!" The young lady exclaimed. "What was it like?"

"It's vast and wild with dangerous creatures. There are giant octopuses pretending to be rocks." Milla told her.

"Rock Octopuses!? You don't say!" Driselle said in amazement.

"And fish and eels and clams!" Elize added.

"Oh, I've seen clams! The shells, anyway. They sell shell jewelry in the shops in the plaza! It's all so gorgeous." She gushed on.

"That sounds really nice." The little girl answered with a blush. It was new for her to have such a conversation with a nice lady such as Driselle.

"I'll give you one of my favorite pieces as a present next time." She offered. "As a token of our friendship."

Elize could only blush and nod at the offer.

"Icky clams turn into pretty jewelry? Now this I gotta see!" Teepo said.

"Well, at least she's making friends." Jude told Chris and Milla with a smile on his face.

"Are friends really that important?" Milla asked them in curiosity. She grew up not having any form of human contact aside from Ivar and the villagers but it was so minimal that she could never consider them friends. Were the Four her friends? She couldn't really say.

"Well, it's really up to the person whether or not they want friends. But friends are nice as long as they share common interests with you. And they also keep you from going crazy sometimes. It's kinda lonely being alone." Chris patiently explained to her as she drank some tea.

"I see. So giving presents is a way to establish friendship?" Milla asked them.

"Uh, why, yes. To the giver, it's a symbol of trust. To the receiver, it serves as a warm reminder of our friendship." Driselle explained to her.

"And getting stuff for free doesn't stink either." Teepo cheerfully said.

"I see."

"Hoho! It appears my young mistress has made some very good friends." Rowen said with a warm, grandfatherly smile. "Make yourselves at home. Help yourselves to some tea and treats."

And so the day went idly by at the Sharil manor. Elize and Driselle bonded, with Chris sitting nearby enjoying some tea and snacks while Jude and Milla looked around the manor. Jude, after having a little chat with Rowen, decided to take some fresh air outside. Before he could step out, however, Cline met him at the door with two Sharilton soldiers whose spears were readied.

"Cline, why the unfriendly face?" Teepo asked him. Indeed, Cline's expression was far from friendly; he had a deep frown on his face and he does not look impressed at all. Upon hearing Teepo's words, Milla turned around, caution written all over her face.

"I'm afraid I can't permit you to leave just yet…" Cline told them stoically. "…now that I know it was you who infiltrated the laboratory in Fennmont. Sit back down. Now."

Well, this was a surprise. Chris put a hand in the inner pocket of her jacket, where a dagger was hidden. She had no plans of killing them; no, that's too big and would attract too much attention but she's more than willing to cripple one or two of them if it will aid their escape.

"What are you talking about?" Jude asked as he sat down.

"Save your denials. Alvin told me everything." He coldly retorted.

"He did what?" Jude exclaimed.

"That little traitor…" Chris said through gritted teeth.

"Now what? Will you hand us over to the military?" Milla asked him. But much to their surprise, he shook his head.

"No. I want you tell me everything you saw in that facility." Cline demanded of them before continuing on. "Rashugal has undergone dramatic changes, ever since Nachtigal acceded the throne. Even those of us of the Six Ruling Houses are not told of his activities.

"Because of the Six Houses Purge, right?" Chris asked him. The Purge of the Six Houses was the time when Nachtigal stripped the Six Ruling Houses of their political power. A lot of people protested and those who did so, were punished harshly. Most of them were executed, including the former Lord and Lady Sharil as they were taught.

"Correct. You seem to know something vital about our country's history; for an Auj Oule citizen." He said with a small smile. A chill ran down Chris' spine and she stood up.

"Alvin told you. That's it; I am going after that two faced, little piece of-"

Before she could continue any further, Milla put a hand to her shoulder and forced her to sit back down.

"The military is holding people captive and draining their mana to develop a new weapon." Milla answered the young Lord's demands.

"Human experimentation? He would go that far?" Cline asked in astonishment as he stood up. Once the realization set in, he sat back down in defeat.

"I'd like to believe you're lying. But all the pieces fit." He said.

"So Nachtigal is the man behind the experiments? The King of Rashugal?" Milla asked him.

"He would have to be." The young Lord responded. Milla was shocked but never showed it. How could a King commit such atrocities to his own people?

"It's hardly hospitable to keep Driselle's friends captive in our home. But you must leave this city at once." Cline told them. Not that they could blame him; the safety of the people of Sharilton is paramount compared to their own safety.

"Thank you, Lord Cline." Jude said as they stood up. Cline simply nodded in acknowledgement and walked away.

"Come, Elize. We have to go." Chris said as she held her hand out towards the girl.

"Good bye." The little girl said as she faced Driselle with a sad expression on her face before taking Chris' hand. Then they walked out of the manor.

* * *

While Jude and Milla accompanied Elize in trying to make friends with the two girls in Sharilton's plaza, Chris looked for Alvin and found him near the inn. As his back was faced towards her, Chris angrily stalked up to him and tapped his shoulder. The moment Alvin turned around, his forehead immediately met Chris' fist.

"Ow…what the hell?" He asked as he put a hand to the abused spot.

"Don't be such a baby. That's not even strong enough to cause you brain damage." Chris said as she rubbed her knuckles. "Why the hell did you sell us out?"

Alvin ignored her and walked away.

"Hey, I'm talking to you." Chris said as she followed him. Alvin held his hand out and a sylphjay landed on his arm.

"Calm down. It's better if I explain it to all of you at once." He answered as he took a letter from the sylphjay and replaced it with his own letter and making it fly away. When Alvin turned, he saw Jude, Milla and Elize approaching them.

"Hey." He greeted them.

"Don't "hey" us!" Jude angrily said.

"Alvin! You tattletale! You jerk! You…you…tattlejerk!" Teepo angrily yelled out before attempting to fly towards him. However, Milla held her arm out, making him bump into it and fall down.

"How much did Cline pay you to sell us out?" Milla straightforwardly asked him.

"Sell you out? That's such an ugly phrase. Money isn't the only currency, you know. It's no secret that Lord Cline is unhappy with the current government" Alvin informed them with a shrug. "If we want info, we have to give something in return. It's called a trade."

"I told him what I know and he gave you some juicy info in return, right?" He asked them.

"King Nachtigal is the man responsible for everything. So long as he lives, he could construct a second or third Lance of Kresnik." Milla answered him.

"You're going to assassinate the King?" Jude asked in disbelief.

"What choice do I have?" Milla asked him. When he didn't speak up, she continued. "I can't allow him to continue. Even if his death throws your country into chaos."

"I suppose it's the lesser of two evils. We can't let him keep sacrificing innocent people for their mana." The young man said in defeat.

"Wh-Whoa there. No need to be hasty. I'm sure we can figure something out, right?" Chris said with her hands held up.

"What do you suggest?" Milla asked her.

"A little diplomacy could help. You could always try that first. If that doesn't work, then you can kill him." She said as she crossed her arms. On the bright side, Milla seems to be considering it. Before she can say anything else, however, Rashugal soldiers approached them.

"Hey, you're the people from the wanted posters." One of them said.

"Whoops. I suppose strolling about wasn't the smartest idea." Alvin said with a shrug. Milla and Chris poised themselves to attack. But before they could, a new voice spoke up.

"Hmm…winds from the southwest; two meters per second. A nice breeze."

Much to their surprise, it was the butler; Rowen.

"What are you doing here?" Jude asked him but Rowen simply shook his head and turned to them with a small smile in his face.

"Please, allow me to handle this." He requested as he brandished three daggers in front of them.

"Hey, gramps! Step away before you break a hip!" One of the soldiers rudely demanded. As he turned around, Rowen threw the daggers straight up in the air. Chris and Elize stared up in the sky wondering where the daggers went.

"Okay…" Chris mumbled in confusion as she kept looking up.

"Oh dear me, what a fearsome trio." Rowen said with his hands held up in mock fright. "A bit on the sloppy side, though. You two in the rear; isn't your formation a little wide? If you stand so far apart; how will you help your comrades in a moment of crisis?"

"Shut up! Like we need your tactical advice!"

Unbeknownst to him though, his comrades actually did fix their rear formation, much to their surprise.

"And you good sir, aren't you standing a little too forward?" Rowen asked him as he approached the soldier again as if he was mocking him. "From there, you might be able to catch me. The good people behind me, on the other hand…"

The soldier huffed and walked backwards, following Rowen's advice.

'_Can Rashugal soldiers actually become that much of dumbasses?' _Chris asked herself as she looked on with crossed arms.

"There's a good soldier." Rowen said with a gentle smile as if he was praising a dog. Just then, the three daggers that Rowen had thrown earlier landed in a triangular fashion and trapped them there with an arte.

"Now, if you'll excuse me…" Rowen said with a small bow. "Everyone please follow me."

And follow him they did. Rowen led them back to the plaza near the Sharil manor.

"Rowen! That was awesome! You sure showed those meanies!" Teepo praised him as they stopped in their tracks.

"Yeah. I mean, it's not every day you see someone who can calculate the wind speed at the top of their heads. But thanks though." Chris said in amazement.

"Dear me. You misuse the word "awesome", it was merely a delay tactic." He humbly said.

"In any case, you saved us…Mr. Rowen." Jude said.

"Just Rowen is fine." He answered.

"What do you need from us?" Milla straightforwardly questioned.

"Milla." Chris scolded her.

"My, you get straight to the point." Rowen said with a chuckle. After about 30 seconds, however, his expression suddenly turned into a serious one. "Indeed. I have a favor to ask of you."

"Of us notorious criminals? This can't be good." Alvin said with crossed arms.

"What do you need?" Chris asked him.

"The King of Rashugal came to the manor earlier and ordered our citizens be drafted into service." Rowen explained to them.

"What? Nachtigal was here?" Milla asked in astonishment.

"Yes. The man you saw leaving by carriage earlier was King Nachtigal himself." He told them.

"So, he's the King of Rashugal." Elize said upon remembering the big man that stepped outside the manor and rode the carriage earlier.

"Should've known it would be the King who'd be riding a carriage like that." Chris muttered to herself.

"Why's he forcing people into service?" Alvin asked him.

"Maybe he needs more experimental subjects." Jude deduced.

"My master couldn't abide seeing his people in danger so he set out to rescue them. But Nachtigal is not one who takes disobedience lightly." Rowen informed them.

"Is Driselle's brother in danger?" Elize worriedly asked him.

"Undoubtedly. And I wish to rescue him. Will you assist me?" Rowen requested of them.

"Any brother of a pal is a brother of mine. Right, Elly?" Teepo asked as he circled around Elize, who simply nodded in response.

"We can't turn a blind eye at this point. We should help!" Jude declared with determination.

"Here we go again. For an honors student, you're lousy at learning lessons." Alvin scolded him. Milla, however, smiled and crossed her arms.

"It's settled. We cannot allow Nachtigal to proceed with any plan that involves using that weapon." Milla declared.

"There's your answer." Alvin said.

"The people were taken to Bermia Gorge. We must make haste!" Rowen said. With a nod of agreement, they all followed Rowen into the Culmar Trail.

* * *

**AN: And there you guys have it with Chapter XII and XIII. I know I'm waaaay late in posting these chapters but a lot of things have come up. I'd like to say they're good things; but no, they're not. They're fuckin' shitty things. It's actually making me start to re-evaluate my life. I mean, I failed my Logic class, thereby jeopardizing my chances of getting into a good University, I have nothing better to do in my life, I am constantly scared of waking up to a house where my parents are yelling at each other left and right, I am anxious about my future and worst of all, I feel like I'm trapped in a fuckin' bubble that you can't pop or something. My life is a fuckin' mess that it's making me suicidal sometimes. You guys must be wondering why I'm telling you this but this is basically my note to you guys if you ever wonder why I'm taking too long to update. I'm not saying you guys are pressuring me to do so. No, it's far from that. It simply means that I don't want any of you to worry. I will finish this fic in tandem with the Strawberry Panic fic that I'm planning. However, if it does take me way too long to update, it simply means that I am re-evaluating my life and trying to get it back on track. So, don't worry. This story will go on for as long as I breathe air. Or until it's complete, you know.**

**So, Thanks to everyone who's read this chapter and actually managed to make it to the end of this AN. I apologize for the amount of cussing that I did here but I just needed to vent. Please leave your reviews and favorites. They're one of the things that keep me going. The voting and the poll are still open. For those who don't know about it; please refer to Chapter X's AN on what's it about. So, til next time, my cubs. Until next time. Ciao! **


	15. Chapter 14: The Rescue

**AN: Okay guys, welcome to Chapter XIV of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Well, thankfully, my life is simmering down right now. Everything's fine. It's not too much of a wreck here now and we can get on smoothly with the story. Now, let's get started on the chapter of this story. Here we get to see a major change than what you people are familiar with. Thanks to those who reviewed and will review to this story. I really appreciate them. Let's go!**

* * *

**CHAPTER XIV: **

**THE RESCUE**

* * *

"So, how long ago did they leave?" Chris asked as they entered the trail.

"About an hour ago, I'm afraid." Rowen politely answered.

"Did he bring anybody with him?" She followed up.

"Only 3 guards, milady." He said.

"Then they should already be there. The fewer they are, the faster they go." Chris declared before stopping in her tracks as they were met by two Floral Cats and two Dusk Shades. They all pulled out their weapons and started attacking them.

"This should be easy." Chris said as she launched herself to battle the beast. She slashed her sword and hit the cat in the face; making it angrier. It swiped its claws at her quite strongly; nicking the skin on her leg and launching her in the air. She recovered and immediately used another attack.

"_Tempest Strike!"_

Chris launched herself up in the air and started spinning around with her weapon extended. She took one of the Floral Cats out; it's back completely cut open from the barrage it just took. She moved on to help Alvin and Elize out with the Dusk Shade, seeing as how even when they were linked together, they were still having a bit of difficulty with it. Jude and Milla, meanwhile, took out the other Dusk Shade with a linked arte.

"_Final Gale!" _

Rowen, meanwhile, had to trouble in handling the last cat as a large ball of water hovered above it.

"_Splash!" _

The sphere of water released a stream of water onto the cat, injuring it furtherer than it already is. And Rowen followed up with another arte.

"_Rock Trine!"_

The Floral Cat fell on its side after being stabbed by numerous stalagmites just as Alvin, Elize and Chris finished off the Dusk Shade they were taking care of.

"Well, told you it was easy." Chris said as she continued walking. Rowen was walking in tandem with her while Jude, Milla, Alvin and Elize were lagging behind them.

"I must say; for someone so young, you're very proficient in the art of combat, Chris." Rowen stated politely with a small smile.

"Thank you. You learn a lot being a mercenary, I guess." She said as they continued walking.

"Pardon me for asking but you were born and raised in Auj Oule, correct? What wind blew your fate to Rashugal?" He asked her as they navigated the maze that is the Culmar Trail.

"Well, I ran away from home when I was 12. I worked as a mercenary to get by for a couple of months before deciding I want to be a doctor. So I went to Rashugal where I met Jude and Milla. Then a whole smorgasboard of events happened and all of a sudden, we're wanted people." She explained, putting her hands in her pockets. She noticed that they were nearing the end of the trail.

"Dear me. You ran away at the age of 12? Why is that?" Rowen asked in surprise.

"My brother was murdered. He became the reason I wanted to be a doctor. Dad was never around and I couldn't take it anymore. So I left." She answered before walking ahead of him and leaving him in the dust. Suddenly, she felt something behind her. From her peripheral vision, she could see that it was a spider. Acting fast before it can get close to her, she pulled out a dagger and threw it dead center between the spider's eyes. She followed that up by throwing her sword at its back. It fell on its stomach, twitching as she pulled her weapons out of it but it ultimately died.

"My, such fast reflexes. I don't suppose it has anything to do with your Lilium orbs now do it?" Rowen asked, politely as ever.

"Yeah, it does. I'm sure you know that the stories are real by now." Chris said before turning her head towards their companions' direction. They were fighting a few monsters but they seemed to be handling them well.

"Indeed. I never thought I'd live long enough to see a Lilium Twin." He said with a smile as they watched their friends finish off the group of monsters they were just handling. After that, they continued on and entered the gorge.

* * *

"Well, this is quite a predicament." Chris stated as they hid behind one of the boulders. Jude, Elize and Rowen on the other side while she, Milla and Alvin were in another. When they arrived at the Gorge, they stopped for a while to examine their new surroundings. Rookie mistake on their part for they were ambushed almost immediately by a Rashugal soldier. If it wasn't for Jude noticing the soldier, Elize would have a crossbow bolt stuck to her chest right now.

"Can you take care of this?" Milla asked Alvin. He stood up and attempted to shoot the soldier but two crossbow bolts struck the boulder they were hiding behind immediately. What the hell? What kind of crossbow bolt sticks to a rock? That thing should've rebounded.

"I can't. I'm pinned down." He said as he hid himself yet again. Another crossbow bolt landed near Jude and the others.

"Aaah! Superpals, do something!" Teepo exclaimed in fear. Chris and Milla shared a look and nodded at one another.

"We need a distraction." Milla declared.

"Jude!" Chris yelled for him before gesturing for him to distract the shooter. Jude nodded, glad that they were thinking the same thing.

"I'll draw the shooter's attention. You take care of the rest." He said.

"You're going to be the bait? That's dangerous." The older woman said in worry.

"It's a dangerous gambit but it works." Chris assured her.

"It'll be fine. Trust me." The young man answered.

"Very well. We leave this to you." She said.

"I got his back but I need you to round up over there in case I don't hit my mark. That way you can finish her off." Chris told her as Jude made his move. Milla nodded and walked away before the shooter can spot her. Chris pulled out her dagger and held it by the blade. Just like how Ethan taught her.

"_Now, if you're going to be throwing a dagger, you have to hold by the blade and apply force into the swing of your arm. Of course, you can't forget to aim." _She remembered his words as she prepared herself for her attack. The shooter pulled the trigger; the bolt flew into the air and Jude dodged it by a hairline.

"How the hell did he dodge that?" The soldier exclaimed in surprise. Chris took the opportunity and revealed herself. She swung her arm with the necessary force while simultaneously aiming. She released the dagger and it hit the soldier in the chest just as Milla slashed her sword at the soldier's neck and stomach and finally, the soldier dropped dead on the ground. Assuming that she wasn't dead by the time Milla attacked her.

"Hey, can you pass my dagger back to me?" Chris requested. Milla pulled the dagger out of the dead soldier's body and jumped back down to meet them.

"Hey, did you see where you pulled the dagger from?" The younger girl asked as she took back her now bloodstained dagger.

"I think I pulled it from here." Milla said as she pointed to Chris' left breast, near where the heart should be. She kept poking and poking for some reason.

"Milla, stop poking my breast." She said with a passive face. Thankfully, Milla did.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"I win, by the way. She was dead before you got to her." Chris said with a smug smirk.

"Come on, kid. Don't make competition out of people's lives." Alvin scolded her. He took the dagger from Chris' hand and wiped the blood away with a handkerchief.

"How hard did you throw this? The blood is all the way to the bottom of the blade." He asked as he handed it back to her.

"Wanna find out?" She asked. Alvin held his hands up immediately in surrender. All of a sudden, they saw a purple light emanating from the cavern.

"That feeling again…the same one from Fennmont." Milla stated as they approached the cavern. There was a barrier, preventing them from entering. And inside the cavern were four contraptions releasing a purple light and seemed to be feeding the cocoon-like structure from the ceiling. Peering in, they saw Cline trapped in one of the cells with a few people.

"Lord Cline! So they were experimenting on humans."

Milla approached the barrier and was about to touch it when Alvin ran up and stopped her.

"Stop. It'll tear your hand right off." He warned her.

"This device is just like the one that killed Professor Haus in the Laboratory!" Jude said in realization.

"Are they making spyrix weapons here too? They shouldn't be so easy to make." Milla mused. Then she pulled out what she stole from the lab and looked at it, trying to see if it'll react. When nothing happened, she put it away yet again.

"So this is why they gave up the search for us. A bit of knowledge is a big danger to these people." She contemplated.

"The channeling circle being generated here isn't a closed type." Rowen said in contemplation. "I would assume the surplus spirit energy is flowing out from the top. If we enter the cavern from the top of the gorge and destroy the core producing the spirit artes…"

"Then we can save everyone." Jude finished for him. Rowen nodded in agreement.

"Let's go." Milla declared and they all nodded in agreement. As they left the cavern, Chris examined their surroundings yet again and whistled.

"That's quite a hike." She noted as she looked up.

"Yeah? Up for it, kid?" If not, you can stay here and leave all the fun to us." Alvin said with a smug smirk on his face.

"Like I'd let you have all the fun. Lucky for you, Ethan and I hiked all the time when we were kids so, I'm used to it." She said as she climbed one cliff. And another. And another. And then she climbed a wall with vines in it. All without breaking a sweat.

"Whoa, she really is used to this, huh?" Alvin remarked as he tried to keep up with her.

"Damn straight I am." She answered as she sat by the cliff and waited for them. Elize, meanwhile, landed beside her as she used Teepo to float up to where Chris is.

"Hey, that's pretty smart of you, kid." She complimented the little girl.

"Yeah. Elly is smart, after all." Teepo jovially said as Elize smiled with a blush on her face. Finally, Jude, Rowen, Alvin and Milla finally caught up to them.

"I'd say avoid the monsters here as long as we can. One misstep and it's a long, long way to fall." She warned them as she stood up. They continued to traverse the gorge, avoiding monsters for as long as they can and making quick work of those that they can't. Unfortunately, when they got to the next area of the gorge, there was already an extremely Angry Tortoise and it was lumbering towards them. Milla especially.

"Milla, look out!" Chris said before pushing Milla back. The tortoise ran her over instead and both fell below. Had Chris not rolled over, the tortoise would've squashed her to a pulp. Now it was stuck on its back and struggling to get on its feet again. Chris pulled out her sword and stabbed it at least ten times before kicking its carcass. In her anger, she summoned an arte.

"_Fireball!" _

Once the fireball was already the size of her head, she threw at the carcass, burning it for good measure. As much as she's against animal cruelty, monsters that topple her over cliffs are the sole exception to that rule. Noticing that she was bleeding from the head, she cast Healer on herself.

"Are you alright, Lady Chris?" She heard Rowen call for her. Looking up, she saw them peering down on her.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'll be up there in a bit." She answered as she tried to locate a vine that would take her back up and found it immediately. After a few minutes, she arrived back up again.

"Boy, you really went to town on that monster, didn't you?" Alvin stated with crossed arms.

"Yeah, you would too." She said as she patted the dust away from her clothes.

"Thank you, Chris. You saved me." Milla said with a grateful tone. Chris gave her a small smile.

"It's fine. Just did what anybody would do." She answered.

"I thought Chris was gonna get squashed like a bug!" Teepo exclaimed in fear.

"It was really scary to watch." Elize said. Chris patted her in the head.

"Hey, gonna take a lot more than that to take a Lilium Twin down, eh." She assured the girl. Afterwards, they continued onward. Climbing a few more vines and jumping a few smaller cliffs, they entered the next area of the Gorge where they were immediately met three Sword Bees.

"Hoo-boy…bugs…joy." Chris said as she pulled out her Steel Sword. Alvin shot one of the bees in its wings, giving Chris some time to attack it. She swung her sword at its body, causing it a huge wound.

"_Ice Storm!"_

A wall of ice shot up the moment Chris plunged her dagger to the ground. Alvin made his move and used an arte.

"_Tiger Blade!"_

Alvin slashed upward as he jumped then brought his sword down before they landed. Chris, meanwhile, swung her sword, cutting the bee in half.

"Pretty good teamwork even though we ain't linked, if I do say so myself." Alvin said as he gave Chris a high-five. Then they ran to the aid of the others.

"_Rock Trine!"_

"_Aqua Sweep!"_

Stalagmites shot out of the ground hitting the second bee. When it returned to the earth, Jude's arte hit the bee and stunned it. He brought his elbow down on the monster and did an uppercut sending it to the air. Milla jumped after it and slashed it before using an arte.

"_Wind Blade!"_

Green blade shaped winds appeared and ended the monster's life. It dropped down to the ground unmoving. Rowen, meanwhile, used an arte on the last bee.

"_Marche Waltz!"_

With each slash and damage that Rowen inflicted on the bee, a musical bar and note appeared. While it was distracted, Elize sent Teepo after the bee.

"_Teepo Spray!"_

Teepo projectile vomited something that –what they hoped- was water into the bee, felling the beast and it stopped moving.

"Well, now that that's taken care of. Let's keep moving." Chris said. Not seeing a room for argument, they agreed. They continued their hike up the gorge immediately, climbing up cliffs, scaling walls and jumping down. Chris sensed that Elize was getting tired and offered to carry her on her back again. But this time, Elize refused her offer.

"I-I'll be fine." She said.

"You sure?" She asked the girl and she simply nodded. Afterwards, they continued on.

"We're close to the summit." Milla said as they kept walking. Looking up, they saw a purple beam coming out from the cavern. They climbed up and saw the opening of the cavern. They peered down but dared not to get too close.

"The core is active now but what can we do up here?" Jude asked as he looked down.

"Grow wings?" Alvin sarcastically answered.

"Good thinking. I shall cast a channeling circle on the erupting spirit energy." Rowen stated. "We may be able to ride it down safely, but only if we can maintain control."

"So are we going to dive in?" Milla asked him.

"Should've kept my mouth shut. We're only gonna get one chance to hit the core." The mercenary mumbled to himself. Unfortunately, his words did not escape Chris' ears.

"Come on, it'll be fun. Or do you want to stay here and leave the fun to us?" Chris teasingly asked him as she stretched her arms out.

"Like hell I'd let you have all the fun." He answered with a smirk as he put a hand on his forehead.

"What are we waiting for? We have to save those citizens." Jude declared with determination.

"Right, there's no other way." Milla said.

"Hoho, your mettle is inspiring." Rowen said with a chuckle before turning to Elize. "Young Lady, would you please stay here for a moment?"

Elize shook her head and grabbed his hand, making it clear that she has no intentions of staying behind.

"Alright, then. Hold on tight, okay. This might be a turbulent flight." He informed them before throwing three daggers in the air and it formed a green plane out of wind artes. Like the ones that Chris and her classmates in Talim used to make and play with to annoy their professors. They hopped onto it and it began its descent towards the cavern. Like Rowen predicted, the ride was pretty turbulent. It was as if the purple beam was forcing them back out.

"There's the core! Alvin, shoot it!" Jude told him. Alvin pulled his gun out and tried to get a good aim but he couldn't.

"This ride's too rough." He warned them. Jude grasped his arm immediately.

"Need a hand?" He asked.

"Much obliged." Alvin said with a grateful smile before pulling the trigger. The core shattered to pieces and all the energy charge dissipated. The cells opened and those who were able to walk left immediately while some people took time to recover.

"There's Master Cline!" Rowen exclaimed. Indeed, Cline weakly walked out of the cell and clutched his head before collapsing. Chris ran forward to catch him and examine his state. She checked his pulse and it was fine. She wasn't so sure about his mana lobe though. Still, it's not something a little rest can't handle.

"He's weak but he'll be fine." She declared as Rowen took his young master in his arms. After a while, Cline woke up.

"Are you alright?" Elize asked him.

"Forgive me. I dashed off without heeding your warnings and I shouldn't have." Cline weakly told Rowen.

"I am just glad that you're safe." Rowen responded with a worried town.

"Do you know if Nachtigal is still here?" Milla straightforwardly asked him.

"I came here to demand answers for all of this…but his personal guard took me captive." Cline said in a strained voice.

"Oh…I really hate, hate, hate this place. Let's skedaddle." Teepo begged them.

"The spud's right. I'm getting bad vibes here." Alvin told them. All of a sudden, the cocoon like above them glowed, alerting them to an unsavory presence.

"Watch out. Get back!" Milla told them as they looked to the source of the anomaly. The cocoon was glowing and a monster came out.

'_Holy crap. The ceiling just shat out a monster.' _Chris thought to herself as she pulled out her sword. It looked like a giant bug except it glowed.

"Oh, no! What's that?" Jude asked.

"We're about to find out!" Milla answered as the anomaly flew up to them. They dodged the attack and it hit one of the cells behind it.

"Rowen, get Cline out of here. Come back when you can." Chris yelled at him as she worked on an arte. Rowen nodded and led his young Lord away from the commotion.

"_Fireball!" _

Once again, Chris hit the fireball to propel it towards the anomaly before moving on to slash her sword several times at it. Jude and Milla linked up and came to her aid with a Linked Arte.

"_Flame Sphere!"_

A dome of fire surrounded Milla and Jude and hit the anomaly, knocking it on its back. Before it could get up, Chris jumped in the air and stabbed it, causing it some damage. As it got up, Jude punched some vital parts in it several times before delivering an uppercut, launching it in the air. Milla jumped up and slashed it mid-air before bringing her sword down and forcing it to the ground. The Anomaly was mad. It immediately recovered and as Chris was attacking, it released some sort of gas on her face.

"Ah! Damn it!" She cursed as she wiped the tears off of her face. The Anomaly took the chance to sting her again and again until she was forced to the ground.

"_Negative Gate!"_

A dark hole opened up on the ground and a couple of shadowy hands emerged from it, injuring the anomaly. Alvin ran up to it and swung his sword several times before shooting it with an arte.

"_Pulse Shot!"_

As his bullet flew through the air, a bright light surrounded it until it hit the Anomaly. Then Alvin linked up to Elize and used an arte with her.

"_Pow Hammer!"_

Alvin's blade was suddenly replaced with a giant toy hammer and he brought it down on the Anomaly, stunning it and forcing it to the ground. Chris swung her sword at the Anomaly so that it wouldn't get up until Milla's arte was completed.

"_Arrivederci!" _

A green glyph appeared on the floor below the Anomaly and a strong gust of wind sent it up in the air. As it descended yet again, Jude attacked it.

"_Talon Storm!"_

He delivered a flurry of kicks and punches at the Anomaly before it recovered and grabbed him before throwing him in the air. Jude recovered quickly and moved to attack it with Milla immediately. They linked up and used an arte together.

"_Lightning Strike!"_

The arte significantly weakened the beast but it still spun around, hitting Elize and Chris with its tail.

"Ow…my head…" Chris painfully muttered out as she clutched the offended body part.

"_Arc Fire!"_

Alvin shot his gun by the beast's legs, hitting it and turning its attention to him. Luckily for him, Elize recovered and grabbed Teepo's leg.

"_Teepo Copter!"_

As Elize sailed through the air, she twirled her rod around, hitting the Anomaly. She managed to grab its attention long enough for Chris to attack it with an arte as she jumped through the air.

"_Tempest Strike!"_

She spun mid-air with her sword extended, hitting the Anomaly and forcing it to the ground, ready for Alvin to deliver the final blow.

"_Tiger Blade!"_

Alvin swung his sword upward before jumping and slashing downward, finally felling the beast just as Rowen returned from aiding Cline. Milla was about to attack it yet again but Jude stepped in front of her.

"Hold up!" He yelled at her as he threw his hand out.

"What do you think you're doing?" She angrily asked him. It was quite foolish of him to suddenly throw himself in front of her as she was about to attack. What if she suddenly hurt him? She couldn't explain it but the thought of hurting him with her own blade was a bit daunting to her.

"Wait, can't you feel it?" He gently asked her.

"What?" She asked in confusion. She looked at the Anomaly and it was floating upwards.

"They're lesser spirits." Jude stated. The lesser spirit was starting to dissipate in front of them.

"Oh, how wonderful." Rowen said as he marveled at the sight.

"Wowie Kazowie!" Teepo exclaimed.

"Yeah. Awesome." Chris said with a small smile as she looked up.

"Thank you, Jude." Milla said.

"Huh?" The young man asked in confusion.

"I forgot myself and nearly destroyed those lesser spirits." She said as she turned to him with a small and grateful smile on her face.

"Oh…um…" Jude said with a small blush on his face. He wasn't used to being thanked by people he helps aside from his patients and he sure as hell wasn't used to being thanked by a beautiful girl like Milla. Oh, he can already feel Chris' "I-know-you-like-her-so-stop-denying-it" smirk from where he was standing.

"Then, shall we return to Sharilton?" Rowen asked. "The people have had intolerable amounts of mana extracted from them."

"Yeah, we should. I'll go check up on the people first." Chris said before walking out. The others were inspecting the place and having some conversation while she checked how the people were doing. They looked fine and fit to travel back to Sharilton.

"Don't go making promises you can't keep!" She heard Teepo yell out of the blue as they dashed out of the cavern and past her. Seeing that it must be a sore subject, she decided to talk to her about it later.

"Hey, how are they?" A familiar voice asked.

Or she can just ask Alvin about it.

"Well, they're okay and fit to travel back to Sharilton. A little rest back home and they should be fine. So what's up with Elize?" She asked.

"Oh, Jude dropped the 'I'm-dumping-you-off-on-someone-else-if-I-can-find-the-right-person' bomb on her." Alvin said as he crossed his arms. Chris nodded her head in understanding. "You know that kid would do just about anything for Milla. Including dumping Elize off on a perfect stranger."

"I don't think Milla's the only motivation for that. He likes her and would do anything for her, true. But I can kind of understand why he'd dump her off to someone suitable to care for her. This is too dangerous, what we're doing. And I don't think it'll do her any good to be travelling with a bunch of wanted people like us." Chris stated. Before Alvin could say anything else, Rowen, Jude and Milla walked out.

"Well, let's go back." Milla declared and they went on their way and escorted the people back to Sharilton.

* * *

Later that evening, Chris sat at the backyard garden of the Sharil manor, admiring the stars. When they got back to Sharilton, the people were immediately taken to the hospital and were said to recover soon. Milla had every intent to lead them on a suicide mission through Fort Gandala but Cline offered to have men infiltrate the base for an easy passage for them, which thankfully, Milla accepted. Now they were granted sanctuary here in the Manor. Milla was off training with Rowen, Jude and Alvin were somewhere and Elize was having some time with Driselle.

"Stargazing?" A soft voice asked her.

Or not. Chris looked up and saw Driselle looking down at her.

"Yeah. Stars look pretty tonight." She said with a small smile.

"Yeah, they sure are." The young Lady answered as she sat down beside her. "So, what brings you to Rashugal? You were from Auj Oule, weren't you?"

If it was any other person, Chris thought asking that all of a sudden was a bit rude. But they were offering them sanctuary right now, so she felt the compelling need to repay them in whatever way she can. So if it that meant talking about the past, she might as well do it.

"Uh…my twin brother died when I was twelve and I nearly did to at the time." She answered before showing her the scar on her neck. "He used the last of his strength to use healing artes on me. I wasn't as proficient in them back then as I am now so he died instead. I couldn't save him. So, I decided to become a doctor. To save lives just as he saved mine."

"I see. So, your brother died 3 years ago? My parents died in the Purge of the Six Houses. They were wrongfully accused of political offense. At least, I like to think it was a wrongful accusation." Driselle said with a saddened face. In a flash, however, the saddened look on her face was gone and was replaced by a small smile.

"Do you have any other family out there?" She asked as she looked at the stars. They heard Elize walk out and sit beside them.

"Uh…my dad and Aunt." She answered as she felt Elize lean against her. "When my mom died when I was five, our dad dumped us with our Aunt. We barely saw him after that aside from the times he visited and those were rare. Then at twelve I ran away from home, became a mercenary for a while, then about a couple of months before I turned thirteen, I went to Rashugal and studied at Talim Med."

"That must've been quite an adventure for you." Driselle stated, totally immersed with Chris' story.

"But don't you feel lonely? Jude said you didn't have lots of friends at school." Elize stated as she held Teepo close to her.

"Hmm…not really. I feel like I was meant to live a lonely life of solitude. That feeling only amplified when Ethan died so I made my peace with it. I mean why should I get close to people who'll leave me behind anyway?"

To be honest, she had a point.

"Is this because you're Lilium Twin?" Elize asked her. Driselle gasped in shock; a Lilium Twin? Like in the legends.

"Yeah. I mean I still got a hundred and eighty-five years to live. Give or take on how properly I take care of myself." She admitted. It's not really a proven fact that Lilium Twins who had their twins die before them only lived two hundred years but that was the estimate.

"You really are a Lilium Twin?" Driselle asked in confusion. Chris responded by pulling out her Lilium orbs and showing it to her.

"Yep. That's it. If it's more on strength and agility then it's mine. But if it's more on intelligence, it was my brother's." She explained.

"What about the break in at the la-laboratory?" Elize asked her.

"Did you guys seriously do that?" Teepo asked her. Chris sighed and shook her head.

"No. That was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a false accusation. But we saw something we weren't supposed to. We were just there to look for our Professor. That's all." She told them as she patted Elize's head. All of a sudden, Elize yawned and Driselle returned her Lilium orb to her.

"Elize, maybe we should have that slumber party we talked about earlier." Driselle said with a smile as she stood up. Elize stood up as well and took her hand. "Are you coming?"

"Nah, I might hit the hay. You guys have fun." Chris told them. They went inside and it wasn't until a few minutes have passed did she follow after them.

'_Hmm…how long has it been since I've talked to someone like that?' _Was the question that plagued Chris' mind until she fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Jude, Milla, Elize, Alvin and the Sharils were standing outside of the manor, ready to see Rowen off as he is about to leave for Fort Gandala. The only one was missing was Chris, who slept in again. Not that they were surprised.

"I'm counting on you, Rowen." Cline assured him.

"I will not let you down." He responded.

"How long til you return?" Driselle worriedly asked him.

"Let's see. It should take me no less than a day to and from on horseback." He answered as he stroked his beard.

"Oh, then I suppose we'll have to bid farewell to our new friends tomorrow." Driselle said with a pout.

"Looks that way, if everything's right on track." Alvin said with a shrug. Suddenly, Driselle thought of something.

"That settles it! Today, Elly, Milla and I are going shopping." She declared. Teepo jolted up in shock.

"Shopping!? For real!? Hooray!"

"Time's a-wasting. Let's go!" The young Lady said with a smile before stalking up to Milla and grabbing her arm. Elize did the same to her other arm and dragged her away. Chris, meanwhile, walked out just in time to see the almight Maxwell being dragged away by two human girls for shopping.

"Come on, it wouldn't kill you to tag along." Alvin said with a smug smirk and crossed arms.

"Yeah. You might actually enjoy being a human girl for once." Jude stated. Then Milla went on her tirade about how the concept of gender doesn't apply to her.

"Shut up and have fun, Milla!" Chris said with a small smile as she waved at them before going off to lean by a pillar on the side while Jude and Alvin talked to Cline. Chris turned to face him upon hearing that Nachtigal plans to invade Auj Oule. If Cline plans to rebel, then she would join them if asked. As biased as she may sound, Rashugal stands no chance against Auj Oule.

'_Especially with him at his side, commanding their armies.' _She thought with clenched fists. She turned away yet again to think about the offer being proposed to them. Looking up, she saw it; an assassin. Aiming at Cline!

"Look out!" She yelled as she jumped back and pushed the young Lord back. It hit her in the chest instead. Just as where it would've hit Cline. Though she saved the young Lord from certain death, the assassin reloaded again and shot another arrow, this time hitting Cline at his left knee. Falling back, Cline hit his head on the wall behind him and he lost consciousness while Chris fell on her back as a she felt a searing pain inside her. She could feel her blood dripping from her chest. She heard a few gunshots signaling that Alvin had taken the assassin out. Everything was fading for Chris. She could barely see but she can hear a bit.

"Chris! Hang in there, kid! You'll be just fine!"

Alvin's words were the last she heard before everything went dark.

* * *

**AN: And that is the first change in this fic. I'm sure all of you know that Cline didn't die from Chris' intervention. Anyways, there are some parts of the game that I cut off because this chapter was getting too long and I didn't want to split it. I hope everyone understands and enjoys this chapter nonetheless. And that is Chapter XIV of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Please leave your reviews and your favorites. And there will be a sort of major skip ahead. I will tell you the reasons why in the next chapter. Til next time. Ciao!**


	16. Chapter 15: Road to Leronde Island

**AN: Hello, everybody, GroundZeroFirework here and welcome to the latest and newest chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin! Anyways, before we start, there is something I would like to inform you guys about; as you know, in Chapter 11 of this story (where the party is in Sapstrath Seahaven), you noticed that I showed you all the side quest that pertains to the girl, Katte, from the Rats. This side quest was known as "Those who act in the Shadows". I've received a review asking me whether or not I will continue on with this and I would like to answer that yes, I will show everybody the ending to this side quest. In some chapters, I will be leaving a number and a note at the very bottom of the Chapter that will inform everybody that it's part of that one particular side quest. Secondly, I will be skipping the Talys Highroad, Fort Gandala and the Felgana Mines parts of the story because for one thing, like I said, this story is OC-centric and secondly, if there is any part of the game that I really hate aside from the Labari Hollow, the ESS Zenethra and Helioborg Research Center, it's Talys Highroad and Fort Gandala. As for Felgana Mines, it's just for story purposes. Now, thanks to those who left their reviews and their favorites to this story. Without any muss, fuss or what the fucks, let's get this chapter**

* * *

**CHAPTER XV:**

**ROAD TO LERONDE ISLAND**

* * *

Jude sat in an alcove somewhere in the Sapstrath Seahaven as he watched the rain fall down from the skies. It's been a few days since the assassination attempt on Cline's life and he recalled how lucky they were that Chris was there to be alert and push him out of the way. He closed his eyes as he remembered what they did after that.

* * *

_Rowen, Jude and Alvin stormed into the manor, with the elderly man aiding his Lord inside while Alvin carried the severely injured Chris. They set them both on the couches of the manor._

"_Get another doctor in here!" Alvin yelled at the guards, who immediately followed his demands and ran outside to fulfill it. Jude pulled the arrow out of Chris' chest and the blood flowed freely from her body. Rowen did the same to Cline's knee. Cline should be fine for now, but Chris has a hole in her chest that needs to be healed. She was having a hard time breathing too. He tried his medical artes on her._

"_Jude, a-arrow…went to…left l-lung and h-heart. I-I-I'm…drowning i-in my own b-blood. I-I'll be dead i-in a-a c-couple of minutes." She rasped out before coughing out blood._

"_You'll be fine, Chris. Come on, don't say that." Jude said in a panic as he used his artes._

"_S-Stop lying. You-you are-aren't particularly good a-at it." She joked before coughing once again._

"_Damn it! Nothing is working. It's not healing." He complained as he finally stopped trying. All of a sudden, a blue light appeared and when they looked up, they saw Ethan yet again. Like before he was in his ghostly form with no eyes yet they can see the worry he has for his sister._

"_Please tell me you can help her." He requested of the ghostly boy. The boy didn't answer just as Milla told them before but instead he looked upstairs to one of the rooms before pointing at her._

"_You want us to take her there?" Alvin asked and he nodded. Jude could see why; they couldn't let anybody see the ghost of Lilium Twin around here. Too much attention would be drawn. Alvin immediately picked the girl up and took her to the rooms just as her wound started glowing. Ethan disappeared from their sight as well, no doubt following his sister to the room. Finally, the other doctor arrived and started to examine Cline while Jude watched on and Alvin came back down._

"_Okay, Rowen, tell the guards that no one is to enter that room." Alvin told him and the elderly gentleman nodded and informed the head of the guards. _

"_How is he, doc?" The mercenary asked. The doctor was examining Cline's knee and he shook his head._

"_His knee is shattered. It's most likely that he'll never be able to walk without the help of a cane again after this. He has severe head injury and there's some swelling in his brain. Can any of you use healing artes?" The doctor asked them._

"_I can, doctor." Jude answered as he stepped forward._

"_Alright, you and I are going to use Healer on him, yeah. It's risky because it could kill him but at the same time, it could be the only thing that saves him. We need to bring the swelling down." The doctor instructed him. Jude nodded and they both used Healer on Cline. Upon further examination, the doctor determined that Cline was not in any mortal danger but…_

"_He's entered into a comatose state. We can't do anything about that but wait for him to heal on his own until he wakes up. I'm sorry." The doctor informed them before walking away. Rowen had Cline taken to his bedroom and came down. One of the guards informed them that the Rashugal Army has invaded Sharilton and that the Sharilton troops are engaged in the city. Thus began their pursuit of the girls, having to leave Chris behind in the manor to recuperate._

* * *

Jude was pulled from his reminiscing when he felt something touch his hand. Looking down, he saw that Milla had somewhat shifted in her deep sleep and unconsciously grabbed his hand. As he looked down on her, he grabbed the pendant that she had given him earlier. He looked back on their journey; she had protected him a lot of times. He couldn't stop her from running after Nachtigal and the price for that were her legs. He winced as he looked down on her bandaged legs. Milla couldn't even walk right now. So, they started their journey to Leronde, where he hopes his father can help her. They had no choice but to Chris at Sharilton with Elize since she hasn't woken up for days now and Alvin left them on their own. He left her a note with Rowen on where they were going. Jude fixed Milla's blanket, not even letting go of her hand for a second. He liked feeling her hand linked with his. It calmed him to know that at least she was here beside him. A wave of tiredness washed over him and he lay beside Milla on the ground.

"You have nothing to worry about, Milla. I'll protect you from now on." He whispered as he stared at her and examined her features. She looked so relaxed as she slept compared to how she looked like when she was awake. If Chris and Alvin were here, the former would probably call him a creep while Alvin would give him that huge, knowing grin of his. Suddenly, a surge of bravery overcame him and he leaned forward to kiss Milla's forehead. His blood rushed to his face and he immediately lay back down and fell asleep.

* * *

Back in Sharilton, Chris was shaking as she slept. She dreamt that she was back in the time when her mother died. Despite the fact that she knew it was just a dream and that she was just observing everything, she can still feel how cold it was back then. As if a blizzard was on the way. They were in the Xailen Woods Temple at the time, her, their mother and Ethan, having been taken there by their mother to play when those people came. Her mother's family. They wanted to take her back with them, take Chris and Ethan to the Mon Highlands and leave them there to die.

"_I will not abandon my husband or my children!" _Chris watched her mother declare. She couldn't see her mother's face. It was blurred out in her dreams. Possibly because she couldn't remember what she looked like. She saw her and Ethan. Ethan was embracing her as they hid behind their mother. Chris could still remember being scared. She basically blanked out at that time, simply praying that they weren't going to die.

"_Fine. If that's what you want!" _She heard a man say before stalking up to their mother and stabbing her in the throat. Once the deed was done, they fled before anyone could see them.

"Mom!" Chris yelled out as she bolted up from the bed. She put a hand to her chest where she could feel her rapidly beating heart. She wasn't dead? She was supposed to be dead.

"This is impossible." She muttered as she patted herself. "I should be dead. I was drowning in my own blood mere moments ago."

Chris painfully stood up and rushed to the mirror in the bedroom. She lifted her shirt up and saw that the only trace of the wound was a scar. It can only mean one thing if she managed to survive a wound like that.

"Ethan." She breathed out before sitting on the bed and putting her shoes and her jacket on. Both her shirt and jacket were perfectly mended. As if there was never a hole there at all. Most likely Rowen's handiwork. She washed up in the bathroom junctioned to the bedroom and walked out, where she saw Elize, Driselle and Rowen having a discussion in the sitting room. She carefully walked down the stairs, careful not to jostle her left side too much.

"Ah, Lady Chris, I see you have awakened." Rowen said with a small smile on his face as Driselle and Elize ran up to help her.

"Yeah. How long was I asleep?" She asked them as they had her sit down on the couch.

"A week and a half. You gave us quite the scare. Even though your wound has healed, we thought you weren't going to wake up." Driselle answered her as she sat beside the girl.

"What happened when I was asleep?" She asked them. The three recounted to her the story of what happened after she was shot. From how the men set out to save the girls in Fort Gandala and how they had to leave her in the manor to how Milla led Elize and Driselle to look for a way to escape to how Milla's leg was blown up chasing after Nachtigal while wearing a Hex Shackle. Milla was in a coma for 5 days after that before finally waking up, only to realize that she couldn't use her legs anymore.

"Wait, let me get this straight; I get a crossbow bolt stuck to my chest and you guys set out to save Milla and the others in Fort Gandala. Then Milla gets injured because she chased after the King of Rashugal and now she can't use her legs. Right?" She asked for clarification.

"Yep. That's how it happened!" Teepo said as he stood on Chris' lap.

"Huh…I missed a lot. And Alvin?" She asked before chewing on her inner cheek.

"He left us after they brought Milla back here." Elize answered as she took Teepo back.

"Jude and Milla?" Chris followed up as she rubbed her temple.

"I believe the answers you seek are in here." Rowen answered as he handed her Jude's note. The note was written on a simple piece of paper and in it was undoubtedly Jude's neat and girly writing. She took it immediately and read it.

"_Chris,_

_Should you wish to follow us, we will be in my hometown of Leronde. I'm sure by now Rowen has told you the story of what happened in Fort Gandala, so Milla and I will be there. My father might be able to help Milla walk again. Good Luck and take care of yourself._

_Jude Mathis._

_P.S. I'm sorry we had to leave you behind twice. Please don't hurt me."_

Chris handed the paper back to Rowen and slinked down on her seat.

"Well, at least I know where I'm going next." She said as she crossed her arms.

"By my calculations, they should be in Leronde for 4 days now. They would need proper rest for Lady Milla, not to mention there was a storm the same day they left." Rowen said as he stroked his beard in contemplation.

"Well, that's good news; it means I can still catch up to them. It would take time for Milla to recover." She said with a small smile. She attempted to stand up and run out but a sudden sharp pain from her left side shot up her body.

"Ow…crap." She muttered out as she winced in pain.

"Please, Chris, you're not ready yet. Stay another week and when you're properly healed then you can go." Driselle pleaded with her as she gently forced Chris to sit down.

"Yeah, you're right. Fine." She answered as she took deep breaths. All of a sudden, she remembered something.

"Where's Cline?" She asked them. Driselle looked down sadly. As did Elize and Rowen. Driselle stood up and beckoned for her to follow her and she did. They entered one of the rooms and Chris saw Cline lying on the bed; breathing but showed no signs of responding to any sounds they make.

"What happened?" Chris asked as she leaned against a wall.

"Cline is in a coma. Aside from that, his knee isn't gonna get any better. He'll have to walk with a cane when he wakes up." Driselle answered as she sat down beside her brother and held his hand.

"I guess that makes you the new Lord and Governor of Sharilton. For now." Chris stated before taking a deep breath. "I am so sorry."

Without another word, Driselle walked out of the room with Chris trailing behind her.

* * *

**SKIT: Driselle's gratitude (Chris and Driselle)**

**Chris: *shyly* **Hey, Driselle.

**Driselle: **Yes?

**Chris: *sadly*** I'm sorry.

**Driselle: *confused* **What for?

**Chris: *guiltily* **For Cline. I pushed him too hard that he hit his head on the wall. I'm the reason he's in a coma right now. Not to mention, your brother is crippled in the left leg. And for that I'm sorry.

**Driselle: *stunned* **No, you don't have to apologize for that!

**Chris: *shocked* **What? Why? Don't you blame me for putting him in that condition?

**Driselle:** Chris, if there's anybody to blame it should be King Nachtigal. And you took an arrow to the chest for my brother. If anything, I should be thanking you. All of Sharilton should be thanking you. We would rather my brother is in a coma and crippled in the left leg and alive than have him dead.

**Chris:** R-Really?

**Driselle: **Really. So please don't blame yourself. I thank you for saving my brother's life.

**Chris: *happily* **Yeah…sure. No problem. Just doing my job**.**

* * *

It's been a week since Chris decided to stay in Sharilton to recuperate. Once the week was up, she decided to go to a doctor to see if she was fit for travel.

"Tell me, Miss Aifread, have you any weapons with you?" The doctor kindly asked as he had her lift her left arm.

"A sword and a dagger. But that's about it." She answered as she brought her arm down. "It's not hurting too much now."

"Yes, well, that's to be expected. The arrow that hit you was specially designed and affected most of your left side. It'll heal within a few more days but I suggest you steer clear of monsters until then during your travels." He instructed her.

"I will. Thank you, Doctor." She said with a small smile. The doctor nodded and left as Chris picked up her sword. She was about to walk out of the manor when Elize ran up to her and hugged her waist.

"Ow, Elize. What is it?" She asked as she winced in pain. Chris noticed that Driselle and Rowen were there watching them.

"Don't leave us alone, Chris! Please!" Teepo begged her as he floated beside Elize. The older girl gently pried the child away from her before kneeling.

"Hey, come on. Don't you like it here with Driselle?" She asked her.

"I-I do…but…I want to see Milla and Jude again." Elize shyly responded. Great. What is she to do with the kid if she wants to see Jude and Milla?

"Well, you can't. It's too dangerous. I can't keep an eye on you all the time. Besides what does Driselle think about this?" She asked her.

"It's okay if Elly wants to go see Milla. My only concern is of how dangerous it could be." Driselle gently answered as she patted Elize's head. Suddenly, Rowen thought of something.

"Young Mistress, if it pleases you and would put your mind at ease, perhaps I could accompany Miss Elize and Lady Chris to Leronde. That is, if my Lady commands it." He offered to them. Driselle thought about it for a while. If there's a person she knows that can look after Elize and Chris, it would be Rowen.

"Very well. Please accompany them and keep them safe." Driselle said with an approving nod.

"Wait, what about you? Don't you need Rowen here to help you keep things in control?" Chris asked, not wanting to impose and give any additional burden on Sharilton's new governor.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. I think this is something I need to handle on my own anyway." She assured her with a smile. With that settled, Elize and Rowen prepared their things and after a while, they stood in front of the manor.

"Stay safe, everyone." Driselle said. Chris and Rowen nodded while Elize ran up to her and gave her a hug.

"Come back soon, okay?" Driselle told her as she returned the little girl's hug. Elize nodded as she buried her face in the new governor's waist.

"We will. Don't worry." Teepo said in response as Elize finally separated from her. Afterwards, they started walking away from the manor.

* * *

"Well, at least the checkpoint's gone." Chris said before throwing a dagger at the last bee that chased them. Teepo made the mistake of making one of the monsters angry earlier and so the result was them running for their lives. Chris collapsed on her knees and took deep breaths as she tried to suppress the pain from her left side. Rowen picked up her dagger and handed it back to her.

"Do you need rest, milady?" He politely asked her.

"No. I just need a few moments to breath." She responded as she stood up straight and took the dagger back. Afterwards, they continued on their journey, eventually reaching the Seahaven. Chris immediately approached the ticket booth immediately.

"Hi, yeah, 3 tickets to Leronde Island, please." She said as she paid the fee.

"Good timing. You and your friends might want to hurry up. The boat's leaving in a few minutes." The ticket seller said as he handed their tickets over.

"Thank you." She answered before walking over to Elize and Rowen and handed them their tickets. They boarded the ship and almost immediately the ship left the docks. Rowen and Chris stayed Port side of the ship while Elize and Teepo roamed around the ship.

"Well, Leronde doesn't seem to far from here. So, how did Jude take the news of Milla being crippled?" Chris asked as she leaned on the railings.

"Young Master Jude was heartbroken upon seeing Lady Milla's injuries. He waited day and night for her to awaken and when the doctor told him that she could never walk again, it was almost like he didn't want to accept it. I think they may even have had an argument about it." Rowen answered as he tucked his hands behind his back.

"For some reason, I saw that coming." Chris said with a smile as she shook her head.

"Whatever do you mean, Chris?" Rowen asked her in curiosity. Chris puffed her cheeks out as she tapped the wooden railing of the ship, wondering how to correctly put her words together.

"Let's see…how should I put this? Jude…idolizes Milla way too much. No…more than that, he's in love with her. Any idiot with half a brain who observes them can see that much. And…I think sooner or later, if it hasn't already, it'll start to cloud his judgment. I pray I'm wrong and that never happens though. I pray that he can be in love with her and keep his head intact at the same time but based on what I see sometimes that's hardly the case." She explained as she leaned her back on the railings and put her hands on her jacket's pockets.

"Trust me, milady, I know firsthand what love can do to a man." Rowen wistfully said. Before Chris could ask him anything, however, Elize approached them.

"Rowen, I'm hungry." She shyly said.

"Oh, dear me, it wouldn't do much good for the young Miss to be wandering around hungry now would it?" Rowen said with a smile. "I for one could use a good meal."

"Yeah, me too. Come on, let's get some food in you." Chris said as she took Elize by the hand and led her to the cafeteria. They ate, talked and slept and woke up yet again when they heard the ship blare its horns. Grabbing their things, they raced up to the docks where they saw Leronde.

"So, this is the infamous Isle of Quay and Quarry that I've heard about from Jude once upon a time. Looks quaint and quiet. Right up my alley." She stated as she looked at the view.

"Hey guys, look! It's Jude, Milla and another girl! And Milla's walking!" Teepo yelled out. Both looked off to the side and saw that indeed, Milla was walking. Beside her was Jude and another brown haired girl they didn't know. Finally, the ship docked and the stairway was let down. Elize looked at her with excitement in her eyes.

"Well, go on. Greet them. We'll be right behind you." Chris assured her and Elize hastily ran off the ship with Chris and Rowen trailing behind her. Chris took a deep breath and reveled in the cool breeze.

"Sea air smells nice." She stated before continuing on.

* * *

**AN: Alright, everybody! And that is Chapter XV of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Now I'm sorry if this isn't my best work but I've been a bit distracted by some things lately and honestly, I watched a little bit too much Kantai Collection tonight (Kongo, my waifu!) so I'm a bit pre-occupied. Mostly because I just LOVE the Yuri-undertones of the anime. Anyways, I hope you people enjoyed this chapter. Polls are still open and voting is still going on. Please refer to Chapter X if you guys don't know about the votes. Please leave your reviews and your favorites. I would really appreciate them. Until next time, my cubs. Ciao!**


	17. Chapter 16: Party x Party

**AN: Alright, alright, my cubs, I'm back! GroundZeroFirework is back with the new chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Before we delve into the story, I'd like to explain the meaning to the title of the chapter so that you guys won't get confused; as you guys can see it's called "Party x Party" (pronounced as PartyParty)like the Vocaloid song. I don't know if any of you have seen or heard that song; if you haven't, that's cool. If you have, that's cool too; it simply means you don't have to sit through this explanation. I called this chapter "Party x Party" because this is the chapter where the party is finally complete. Did that clear things up for you all? I hope so. Now, I'd like to thank everybody who left their reviews and favorites in the previous chapters. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Well, let's get started. Happy reading. **

* * *

**CHAPTER XV:**

**PARTY X PARTY**

* * *

"Jude, buddy, superpal, slap me some face!" A familiar voice yelled. When Jude turned around, his head was immediately engulfed by Teepo's huge mouth. He can hear Leia jump in surprise upon seeing the talking doll.

"Gah! What in the world?" She questioned as Jude pulled the doll away from his head. Elize ran past them and approached Milla, who was surprised to see them.

"Elize, what are you doing here?" Milla asked them.

"Well, we wanted to see you." She answered with a blush on her face while Jude finally managed to pry Teepo off of him.

"We wanted to congratulate you on your recovery." Rowen stated as he walked up to them.

"And don't forget that you asked me to come with you." Chris said with a small smile on her face, happy to see Milla up and about yet again. However, she gave Jude a steely gaze before punching his shoulder.

"That was for leaving me behind, jerk." She said.

"Ow, well, I can't drag the two of you with me." Jude defended himself as he rubbed the abused spot.

"We weren't expecting a miracle. Nice to see you on your feet." Rowen said with a small smile on his face.

"It's all thanks to Jude and Leia." Milla declared as she shifted her weight in her left leg and put a hand on her hips.

"Rowen!" Jude exclaimed in surprise, having not noticed him earlier as he was looking for ways to escape Chris' incoming abuse.

"It has been a while, Jude." Rowen politely stated before turning to the young girl beside him. "And a pleasure to meet you, young lady, my name is Rowen."

"Chris Aifread. I was Jude's classmate in Fennmont." Chris introduced herself.

"Oh…uh…Hello." Leia shyly said. Jude explained to Rowen, Chris and Elize what transpired 3 weeks before their arrival. From the Aspyrixis to what they went through in the Felgana Mines for a Spirit Fossil to how Milla's physical therapy went. Of course, Jude couldn't leave out how his dad flat out refused to help Milla. Again, Chris was impressed to how far Jude would go for Milla's sake.

"That dad of yours sounds like a character." Chris stated with crossed arms.

"Hey, come on, now. The doc isn't that bad." Leia defended as she held Teepo in her hands. He was surprisingly squishy. Not to mention comfortable. Rowen, meanwhile, turned to Milla upon seeing the Aspyrixis.

"So, this is the device responsible for your recovery. An Aspyrixis, you call it? Fascinating."

Chris was having the urge to be a jerk and just yank out the Spirit Fossil. And before she can stop herself, she pulled it out. Milla's eyes widened upon realizing she was losing feeling in her legs and that gravity was pushing her down.

"What the-"

Before she could completely fall, Chris caught her in her arms and slapped the Spirit Fossil back on, sending a spike of pain throughout her body.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry! I just got this urge to pull it out all of a sudden!" Chris explained as she hoisted Milla up and aided her in standing. Jude went to her side as well and helped her up. Once they were certain that she can stand on her own, they let go of her.

"Will you be sticking around for a while?" Jude asked Rowen.

"Lady Driselle insisted that I take a vacation." He answered. Weeks ago, after all that happened, Driselle has been insisting that he do so. "And Miss Elize was most persistent in her desire to accompany Chris and see Milla so she also asked that I accompany them to Leronde."

Teepo flew out of Leia's arms and back into Elize's.

"Don't blame us, butler!" He yelled. "You're the one who's being sloppy on the job lately!"

"It's true. This butler has been quite distracted as of late. Indeed, one concern in particular is at the forefront of my mind."

"I see. I wish we had more time to listen to the whole story but…"

Before Milla could finish her sentence, Jude cut her off.

"Milla and I are planning to leave Leronde as soon as possible. Probably tomorrow."

"I don't remember saying that." Milla stated in surprise.

"I know you well enough by now." The young man fondly responded. Chris gave off a wolf whistle.

"Ooh, Jud-o boy, wanting to have Milla on your own already? You sly dog." She teased him with a devilish grin on her face.

"I-It's not that." He defended himself. Leia sullenly looked down for a second before looking up again, which didn't go unnoticed by Chris.

"But you are still recovering. What could be so important that you must go to Fennmont right away?" Rowen asked in concern.

"A weapon they call the Lance of Kresnik." Was her answer. When they didn't say anything else, she continued on. "As long as it endures, mankind and spiritkind are doomed to extinction."

"Who built it? The King of Rashugal?" Elize asked and Milla nodded in response.

"You cannot reach Fennmont without once again heading for Fort Gandala." Rowen gently reminded her. "Things ended badly for you the last time you visited that place, if you'll recall. Are you not afraid?"

"No. I fear nothing in this world. Except that someday I may lose the willpower to complete my mission." She declared with determination.

"Why is this mission so gosh darn important to you?" Teepo asked her.

"Because I am Maxwell. It is my duty to protect this world." The older woman answered. Rowen, Leia and Elize were surprised at her claim.

"Maxwell, you say?" The elderly butler asked in astonishment.

"The spirit? Milla's a spirit?" Leia asked in surprise.

"Is it true?" Elize asked for verification. Jude nodded in response.

"Yep, it's true, kid." Chris added as she patted the child's head.

"Wh-What?" Teepo exclaimed in surprise.

"But that doesn't matter now, does it? It's not going to change who we know her as." He said as he fondly looked at Milla. Milla returned the fond gaze.

"Come on, everyone. No use standing around talking. Let's go back inside." The young man insisted.

"Sounds like a plan." Milla said before they all went back to the town.

* * *

**SKIT: Meet Leia Rolando (Leia and Chris)**

**Leia: *shyly* **He-Hello.

**Chris: **Hi there.

**Leia: **So, you're Jude's classmate back in Fennmont? Christina Aifread, right?

**Chris:** That's my name; don't wear it out. You're Leia, right? Leia Rolando?

**Leia: *surprised*** Yeah. How did you know?

**Chris: *cheerfully* **Jude used to tell stories about you and your name came up a couple of times. Well, when I ain't tuning him out.

**Leia: *shocked* **Stories? What kind of stories?

**Chris: *contemplatively*** Oh, you know, about his childhood with you here in Leronde. His training and how you used to kick his hide all the time. Do the words _"Sparring Time" _mean anything to you?

**Leia: *shocked*** Whoa, he still remembers those? I thought he'd forget about them.

**Chris: **I doubt it. Jude's an honors student. So, I guess that pretty much says he ain't the type to forget too quickly.

**Leia: **I guess. Well, his letters don't do you justice, though.

**Chris: *confused* **Letters? What letters?

**Leia:** His letters to his mom. She says that he sometimes writes about his classmate named Chris. He said that you were always quiet and you kept to yourself a lot. To the point of having little to no friends and just mere acquaintances.

**Chris: **Well, can't say he was lying. That really was me back then. I was kinda in a rough patch back then. But after what happened in Fennmont, I had to go on the run with Jude and Milla. So I had to make friends or something like that to survive.

**Leia:** Wow…sounds like quite an adventure.

**Chris:** Yeah.** *serious* **You like him don't you?

**Leia: *nervously*** Wh-What? What are you talking about?

**Chris: **You can keep denying it in front of my face but I can tell that you like him. *walks away*

**Leia: **Hey, wait, I don't-oh nevermind.

* * *

The party entered the building that Jude said his family's clinic stands. Almost immediately, a woman with black hair and grey eyes came out of one of the rooms and greeted them.

"Jude, you're back. Who are your new friends?" She asked him. Jude immediately grabbed Chris by the shirt and shoved her beside him. His mother has often told him in her letters to try and make friends with the loner he often mentioned in his letters and he wanted to show her that he did.

"Mom, this is Chris. My classmate from Talim Med." He introduced her. Now, on Chris' part, since she didn't have too many friends back then, she wasn't used to being introduced to their parents. If there's a first time for everything, this first time was pretty terrifying.

"H-Hello, Mrs. Mathis." She nervously said.

"Oh, so you're Chris. Jude often wrote about you in his letters. I'm Ellen Mathis." She greeted with a smile as she held her hand out for a handshake, which Chris took. Chris noticed how much Jude resembled his mom, except for the eye department. They're even about the same height.

"Uh, mom, this is Rowen and Elize. They helped us out in Sharilton." Jude explained.

"A pleasure to meet you, Madam." Rowen greeted with a small bow.

"He-Hello." Elize greeted shyly as she hid her face behind Teepo.

"Wa-hey!" Teepo greeted jovially. All of a sudden, somebody else walked out of the room that Ellen just came from. The tall man had brown hair and the same amber eyes that Jude has.

"Dad!" Jude exclaimed in surprise before an awkward silence fell amongst them. Chris' eyes must've widened to the size of saucers by now. The man looked nothing like Jude, to be honest. If it weren't for his eyes; Chris would've called Jude's paternity into doubt.

"Oh, Derrick, come and meet more of Jude's friends." Ellen beckoned him and her eyes landed on Chris. "This is Jude's classmate from Fennmont, Christina. Do you remember the letters? Jude talked about her sometimes."

Now, Rowen could see based on the silence and how sour Jude looked that the father and son were not on good terms. Chris, meanwhile, figured it out years ago as Jude doesn't go home for breaks. It could have only meant that he didn't share a good relationship with one of his parents. After all; children who share a healthy relationship with their parents did tend to go home for breaks when they're on boarding school. Unless the parents are away. Both the young woman and the elderly butler can see that Ellen has been trying to diffuse something between them. And that she's desperately trying to hold her family together.

"So, I take it this girl is the third person on the wanted poster? I should've known a loner like you would cause trouble and get my son dragged into it." Derrick said in a half exasperated and half protective tone of voice. Ellen gasped in shock at his words and Chris blinked rapidly at the accusation. Man, she knew from context that Jude's father has to be a douche but not enough to outright accuse someone of that. She hates a lot of things that are way too many to list down but being accused of something she didn't do is at the top of that list.

"Excuse me?" She asked with a smile before stepping one foot in front of the other as she tried to walk towards Derrick. Her smile might say that she's being polite but Jude can see that her eyes were conveying different emotions. Said emotion being "Anger".

"Dad, don't blame Chris or Milla for what happened. It's not their fault." Jude defended them as he threw and arm out in front of Chris. Chris' smile never waned from her face but she stopped her attempts at walking towards Doctor Mathis.

"No, Jude, it's fine. But I now get why you don't go home for breaks though." Chris said, the smile finally falling off. "I'll be at the inn and get us some rooms. Rowen, Elize, follow me when you want."

Without another word, Chris walked out of the clinic and went to the Leronde Inn. Lest, she beat the living daylights out of Jude's father and lose her medical license before she actually gets it.

* * *

Later that evening, Leia knocked on the door on one of their inn's rooms. She wanted to get to know Chris as much as possible since, based on what she heard from Jude, she could use some friends. The door swung open and Chris was standing on the opposite side.

"Hi." She greeted with a small smile.

"Hey. Just checking to see if you're settled in." Leia said with a nervous smile. All of a sudden, she was losing her nerves.

"You don't have to lie. You want to talk to me about something." Chris said with crossed arms as she leaned on the door. "Come in. But keep it down; Elize is asleep."

Leia entered the room and true enough, Elize was sleeping on the bed with Teepo beside her. But her blanket has been haphazardly kicked to the floor. She picked it up and draped it over the young girl while Chris sat on the other bed.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" She asked. Leia nervously looked down before answering.

"Um…well…I just thought I'd try to get to know you. Jude said that you can really use some friends and frankly, when I saw you earlier, I realized that he was kinda right and I kinda want to be your friend. Pro-Provided that's okay with you."

Chris smiled upon hearing the girl's sincerity. No one ever tried to do that except for Jude and a few others at Talim Med. Most of those who approached her were just people who wanted to sate their curiosity about the mysterious medical student.

"Heh…usually, this is the part where I get up and walk out but you sound sincere enough. What do you want to know?"

Leia grappled for something to talk about with her and she can feel a clock ticking before Chris loses her patience. Then she noticed something.

"What's that on your neck?" She asked as she sat beside the girl. Chris sighed with a smile on her face, having fully expected that to be the first question. And told her the full story. The night went on with Leia asking her questions directed at Chris such as "where her family was" "what was her brother like" and "what was it like to be a mercenary" among other things. Chris answered while still keeping her main secret and they talked until finally, Chris was comfortable enough to reveal that she was a Lilium Twin to Leia by showing her the merged orbs. Sure, she was shocked but it was still awesome to see an actual living legend.

"You know, when we were kids, Jude and I used to play about this all the time. We would pretend that we were Lilium Twins while training." Leia said as she took the orbs in her hand and looked at it.

"Yeah, a lot of kids do that." Chris said before taking the orb back. Finally, she yawned and stretched.

"Sorry to keep you up. You must be tired. Rest, please." Leia said as she stood up and opened the door to leave.

"Hey, kid. I saw you training earlier. You're pretty deadly with that staff of yours. I'd ask you to come with us but it's pretty dangerous so nah…best you stay here." Chris said with a small smile on her face. Leia smiled as well before closing the door behind her. As she walked out of the lodge to look at the stars as she did many a night before, she thought about the people she just met. She thought about Jude and Chris and how brave they were in accompanying Milla in her mission. She thought about Elize and how much she contributed to their group. But most of all, she thought about Milla and how determined she is in forging onwards to her goal of protecting man and spirit. As she mulled over these things and how useful she felt back in the Felgana Mines as she helped Jude and Milla, she realized then and there that she wanted to be useful. More so than she already was at the clinic. She wanted to help them. With her mind made up, she headed towards the Seahaven to enact the first plan she thought about.

* * *

The next morning, Jude walked out of his room in the clinic, meeting Milla halfway ready to leave Leronde.

"Good morning." He greeted her with a smile. He was glad that they were able to help her and get her up and about again.

"Good morning. Are you ready to go?" She asked him as she returned the smile.

"Yep. Let's ask Chris if she still wants to go with us, though." He said. As they were about to walk out to the door, they were met by Ellen.

"Are you all set?" She asked them in concern.

"Yeah. Believe it or not." Jude answered with a smile. Ellen returned his smile; when their son left, he left a little boy who used to smile to mask his fear of going to a big city away from his family. Now he returns a young man. And again, he would depart. But instead of a frightened, little boy, he would leave Leronde as a brave adult. And she couldn't be prouder.

"To be honest, I'm still in shock that you're leaving. You could've given us a little more warning." Ellen said.

"Sorry." Jude said in a sad tone before looking down.

"It's your decision, honey." She assured him. The young man smiled. If one were to ask him what Jude liked best about his mom, it would be how she wouldn't hesitate to support him in whatever he wants to do.

"What about dad?" He asked as he looked on to the door that would lead the office.

"Still fuming."

"I see."

Then and there, Milla decided to intervene.

"Well, I'm eager to get going. Shall we be off?" She asked him.

"Huh? But we still have time before the boat departs." Jude reminded her.

"True. But Elize and Rowen came all the way here to wish me well. It would be rude not to bid them goodbye before leaving." She responded. "Not to mention, we still have to ask Chris if she still wishes to accompany us."

To be honest, Milla did have a point. He didn't want to waste Rowen and Elize's energy by leaving before talking to them. And as much as possible, he wanted to escape the abuse Chris has in store for him should they leave her behind again. They left for the lodge just in time to see Elize coming down from the second floor.

"Morning." Jude greeted her.

"Good morning." She greeted back. Milla moved to walk over to one of the chairs when she felt a surge of pain jolt through her body and she started losing feeling in her legs. She would've fallen had Rowen not caught her.

"My goodness." He exclaimed. Jude immediately ran to his aid and helped Milla straighten up.

"Sorry about that." She said with a small smile before walking off to sit on a couch.

"So, where's Chris?" Jude asked them.

"Chris went to the Seahaven to buy new weapons." Rowen answered her with a small smile. After a few seconds, his smile fell away. "Are you…certain this is a good idea?" He asked in concern.

"Yes. I have a responsibility to my mission…to the world." She declared.

"And you wish to remain true to that burden." He deduced. "You are such a strong, proud woman. Seeing your determination, it reopens some old wounds."

"What do you mean?" Jude asked in confusion.

"Lord Cline tasked me with saving this country. His dying words have weighed heavily on my mind lately." The elderly gentleman answered. "Am I capable of such a task? Can I put an end to Nachtigal's schemes?"

By then, Chris entered the lodge with an armful of armaments and a Great Sword that she recently bought strapped around her back.

"Hey, what'd I miss?" She asked as she set the weapons down on the couch beside Milla.

"Nothing much." Teepo answered as he floated over to her. Chris nodded and handed the new rod, named Brandung, to Elize which she happily took. Jude turned back to Rowen after he took the Gigas Gauntlets that Chris has generously bought for him.

"Back at Fort Gandala, it seemed like he knew you." He stated as he looked at the elderly butler.

"He is…a friend of mine. One of my oldest." Rowen answered.

"I take it this is about King Nachtigal?" Chris asked as she sat on the couch. Elize nodded in response to her question.

"So that's the source of your concern…whether or not you can fight against a friend or not." Milla stated as she twirled her new Porous Blade.

"No way! If he was a real friend, then you wouldn't fight him." Teepo exclaimed.

"Fretting over it won't strengthen your resolve." Milla told him. "Only willpower can do that. For now, will you come with us?"

"I'm sorry?" He asked in confusion.

"You can still grapple with these issues if you like, but a human life is short. Time is of the essence. You might as well keep moving forward while you worry. Hesitation is a common human failing, after all."

"And Milla spits out wisdom so early in the morning…" Chris mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. Rowen, however, was surprised at what she said.

"Why not come along, Rowen? I'd feel safer with you around, anyway." Jude admitted to him.

"Heh…yeah, so do I." Chris said as she crossed her arms

"Hohoho…your words ring true. Caving to worry and doubt would only waste my time and this old man is not growing any younger." He stated, much to the delight of Chris and Jude.

"Does that mean-"

"Yes, please allow me to accompany you." The elderly butler requested.

"I-I'll come too." Elize insisted as she swayed from side to side and she looked down on her shoes. Teepo was excitedly bouncing up and down. It made it all the more harder for them to break the news to them.

"Sorry, Elize. You should head back home to Driselle." Jude told her.

"Sorry, kid." Chris told her. Rowen kneeled in front of Elize.

"Miss Elize, I need you to give the young mistress a message. Tell her that I have headed to Fennmont."

"But…" Elize tried to protest but stopped in the middle of it. Chris approached her and grasped her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. A rather piss-poor attempt but it was all she could do for now.

"I will ask an acquaintance of mine in Sapstrath Seahaven to escort Elize home." Rowen offered to them.

"But Elize is heading back to Sharilton, right? Won't we be heading in the same direction?" Jude asked him in confusion.

"I have an idea. Will you allow me to handle this matter?" The elderly gentleman asked.

"Sure." The young man answered before approaching Elize. "Let's stick together until we have to board the ship."

"Okay…" Elize sullenly answered as she looked down on the ground.

"And here I thought we were superpals, Jude! Guess not!" The floating doll angrily said.

"Now, that it's settled. We'd best be off." Milla declared with crossed arms. Jude noticed that Master Sonia came out of the back room and was manning the counter.

"One moment." Jude said before approaching her.

"Yeah, we'll go on ahead." Chris said as she escorted Elize out of the lodge while they were followed by Rowen.

"Well, hello there." She gruffly greeted him.

"Good morning, Master Sonia." He politely greeted her. "Is Leia around?"

"No, I haven't seen her all day. She hasn't even done her chores!" Master Sonia griped.

"She'll be home before dinner." Leia's father, Warrick, assured Master Sonia. "She won't want to miss my cooking."

"I see…it's unfortunate that we missed her." Milla solemnly said.

"Yeah…" Jude sullenly said. "Master Sonia, Milla and I are leaving on another journey. Please tell Leia goodbye for us." He requested.

"Is that right? Well, don't worry. I'll tell her. You go on and have a safe trip." She assured them.

"Thank you." Jude said in a grateful manner.

"She's gonna get so depressed again with you gone." Warrick revealed to them.

"And then you'll see her getting depressed. And get even more depressed yourself." Master Sonia quipped.

"Well, come on, don't you feel sorry for her?" He asked her. Jude and Milla were just standing there, awkwardly observing the scene.

"I feel sorry for the poor woman who's stuck with a bunch of weaklings for a husband and daughter! And that would be me!" She gruffly said.

"I see your tongue is still sharp as your fist is strong." Warrick fondly said with a smile.

"Isn't that what you love about me?"

"And yet I can't help but hope that Leia grows up to take after me. I wonder why?"

"What did you just say?" Sonia asked him in a deadly tone.

"Interesting. This must be what they call a 'domestic spat'." Milla stated as she kept on observing the scene.

"Haha…I'm pretty sure this is how they express their love for each other." Jude said with a smile on his face.

"Not so different from your own family, eh, Jude? Don't forget to write them sometimes, okay?" Master Sonia reminded him in her own version of gentleness.

"And send a letter to Leia while you're at it." Warrick added.

"Uh, sure." He answered. "Good day, Master Sonia. Warrick."

With those words said, Jude and Milla left the inn and headed for the Seahaven.

* * *

When they arrived at the Seahaven, they saw Rowen buying tickets for an Auj Oule bound ship.

"Where's Leia? I wanted to thank her." Milla mumbled towards herself as Rowen approached them.

"This ship is bound for Auj Oule. Is this part of the plan you mentioned?" Jude asked in confusion.

"It is." Rowen answered him.

"If you hatched this plan, then it will work." Milla said in complete confidence.

"'Course it will, it's Rowen!" Chris exclaimed with crossed arms as she approached them. "Welp, Jude, head's up. Mama Bear's coming your way." She added upon seeing Ellen approaching them. Jude and Milla turned around just in time to see Ellen coming.

"You're not going to make amends with your father?" She asked him in concern.

"What's the point, mom? We're minutes away from leaving." Jude informed her.

"Your father is just worried about you, honey. Please understand that." She said. Jude simply nodded in response.

"_Yeah…right…worry…I think he's trying to control his son too much." _Chris thought as she looked at the scene.

"I hate to impose. But would you look after this young lady for a few days?" Rowen requested of Ellen as he looked at Elize, who was hiding behind him.

"Someone from Sapstrath Seahaven will be coming to pick her up. Can you watch her til then?" The young man asked her.

"Oh, she's adorable. Of course; I'll take good care of her." Ellen said, recalling on the days of how she's always wanted a daughter. Teepo, meanwhile, looked downright terrified.

"This kind of abandonment could stunt our emotional growth and stuff and things." He exclaimed in fear. Just as Jude turned around, someone called for him.

"Jude!"

Jude sighed upon hearing his dad's voice.

"Dad, I've made up my mind. I'm going with Milla." He declared.

"You're not going anywhere with that woman! The things she's gotten you involved in." He angrily said.

"_Yep…totally trying to control him…" _Chris thought as she immediately went to Jude's side.

"Hey, hey, your son is responsible for his own actions. It's his decision." She defended him. Before Derrick could say another word, another gruff voice spoke up.

"Lookie here, I just can't get rid of you people, can I?"

"Alvin?" Jude exclaimed in surprise. Milla gave the mercenary a steely gaze.

"My new job didn't really pan out." He informed them with a shrug. "You know, I still haven't worked off the money I got last time, so I guess you're stuck with me."

"You're coming with us?" The young man asked in surprise.

"Y-You know this man?" Derrick asked in shock. Chris noticed how he suddenly sounded so nervous. Does Derrick somehow know Alvin?

"Yeah. We were old travelling buddies." Jude said. Chris, meanwhile, approached him.

"Well, well, welcome back. Now lean in closer." She told him with a saccharine smile.

"Oho, got a kiss for me, young lady?" He teased her as he leaned in.

"Oh yeah, I got a kiss for you, alright. A KISS FROM MY FIST!" Chris angrily declared as she threw a left hook that totally forced Alvin to the ground.

"That was for abandoning me and Elize in Sharilton." She added as she shook her left hand and stalking back to Milla's side.

"Sorry." Alvin said as he stood up. Elize ran up to his side and hugged him immediately.

"Alvin, can you believe these meanies are abandoning us?" Teepo exclaimed.

"You poor little spud. You can fight just as well as they can!" The gruff mercenary stated as he patted the little girl's head. "Come on, let's bring the kid and her toy along!"

Jude was hesitant and Alvin approached him and threw his arm over the young man's shoulder.

"Come on, it'll be just like old times!" He said with a wolfish grin.

"But Alvin…" Rowen tried to protest as Alvin approached him.

"Come on, I'll protect her when things get dicey. Come on, Rowen." Alvin pleaded with him.

"You're stuck with us, butler!" Teepo said before engulfing his head with his mouth.

"Last call for boarding! The next ship will be departing shortly!" One of the sailors called out.

"If they can't pry Teepo off, I guess they'll have to come." Milla said with a small smirk.

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Get on board!" Alvin told Elize.

"Yaaay!" Teepo said as they ran off to the boat.

"It seems I'm no match for you." The elderly gentleman said with a smile.

"Heh…you know what they say, the more the merrier." Chris said as she climbed on board followed by Milla while Jude said his farewells to his parents. Eventually, he climbed aboard as well and the ship finally set sail.

* * *

In the middle of their journey, Alvin found out that they were heading for the Lakutam Seahaven.

"This tub's bound for the Lakutam Seahaven? I thought you were heading for Fennmont." Alvin stated in surprise.

"You're asking this now?" Jude said. "You really do go with the flow, huh? Like literally?"

"I couldn't care less where we ended up. I'm only here to look after Miss Elize." He said.

"And me, me, me! The band's back together!" Teepo jovially declared.

"You're not…exactly part of the bargain." Alvin joked, making Elize laugh.

"Rowen, please tell us your plan for taking us to Auj Oule." Milla requested of him.

"Very well. I believe trying to force our way through Fort Gandala now would be a suicide mission, to put it bluntly. I saw the fortress' security golems being activated as we were escaping. Right after Milla was injured." He explained to them.

"And those are?" Milla asked with crossed arms.

"They're weapons made by using Earth Spirits." Elize answered her question.

"That's pretty smart of you, kid." Chris said as she patted her head.

"It would take an entire division of soldiers to defeat those automata. And only if they had clever strategy." Rowen informed them.

"But the sea routes to Fennmont are still closed. So if we're heading to Auj Oule…" Jude began.

"You mean to cross Auj Oule to Fennmont over land." Milla finished for him.

"Heh, that's quite a hike. What'll we do about Fezebel Marsh?" Alvin asked as he crossed his arms.

"You can't seriously mean to cross that, right? One wrong misstep and you'll wash up dead in the tundras near Kanbalar." Chris said as she leaned on the side.

"Oh yeah, that's true." Jude said, earning confused looks from Milla and Elize. "That swamp stretches forever north of Fennmont. It's supposed to be the natural equivalent of Fort Gandala in terms of fortification."

"So no matter where we go or what we do, we'll always have that hurdle to jump over." Chris said as she put her hands on her pockets.

"Isn't that marsh impossible to cross? Something about severe spirit climes or something?" The gruff mercenary asked them.

"Most of the time. But the interseasonal winds have blown, which means Solum is upon us." Rowen told them. "That means the spirit clime has shifted from Efreeta to Ragnome. Fezebel Marsh should be passable for now, anyway."

"If you say so." Elize said as she looked down.

"I'm not sure I understand either." Milla said.

"We're good to go if we hustle through the marshes, right?" Alvin asked with a shrug and a wink.

"Exactly. In any case, hustling is the order of the day. It seems we have little time left." The elderly gentleman answered.

"Why? What's going to happen?" Teepo asked in worry.

"I have received word that even after you've left Sharilton, the golems in Fort Gandala remain activated. This does not bode well for us." Rowen informed them. "It's a clear sign that Rashugal is readying for open war."

"With who? With Auj Oule?" Jude asked him.

"But why?" Elize asked him.

"I must destroy the Lance of Kresnik before it is used in battle." Milla declared. All of a sudden, one of the sailors screamed. Which attracted their attention.

"What's wrong?" Jude asked as he, Alvin and Chris ran up to the man.

"Th-There's a person in there." He said in a frightened manner. The three of them took a peek and much to the surprise of one and the horror of two, Leia was in the barrel. Sleeping.

"Friend of yours?" Alvin asked them.

"Hehe…yeah…a real barrel of fun." Jude said. Chris took the barrel's cover from the sailor and covered it back up again.

"What are you doing?" Alvin asked her.

"Waking our resident stowaway up." She answered as she tipped the barrel on its side and kicked it, sending it rolling on deck. Everybody could hear Leia screaming bloody murder as the barrel rolled. Until it hit another elevated platform. It shattered in several pieces and upon inspection, knocked Leia out again.

"Well, that was fun. A bust but it was fun." Chris said with a small smile. "Alvin, take her back to our cabin until we get to Lakutam."

"Told you; a real barrel of fun." Jude said with a chuckle.

* * *

Finally, they ship reached Lakutam Seahaven and just in time for Leia to wake up from her sleeping spell too. They left the ship and Jude decided to ask her what she was doing on the boat. And in a barrel no less.

"Ahaha…I got so bored there I must have fallen asleep." She said sheepishly.

"Yeah, you must have." Chris answered with a chuckle.

"Then you'll be well rested for the return trip home." Jude told her. Honestly, right now, he feared for her safety seeing as how Master Sonia obviously does not know about this excursion. She'd beat Leia up to a pulp if she doesn't return home now and every second she's away from Leronde just increases Leia's mortality rate.

"Return trip? I'm coming with you." Leia declared as she put her hands on her hips.

"This isn't a game." He tried to reason with her.

"I know." She said. "Right?" She added as she turned to Alvin. Jude rolled his eyes; he should've expected that his reasoning would fly above her head.

"Who are you?" Leia asked the mercenary in confusion.

"This is Alvin; our little buddy!" Teepo answered for the man.

"Pleasure to meet you." Alvin said with a small wave.

"I'm Leia. Pleasure to meet you too, little buddy." She said as she approached him and took his hand to shake.

"Little buddy?" Alvin asked her in an uncertain tone. The young woman ignored him and ran up to Milla.

"It's okay, right, Milla? I can come along?"

Milla cupped her chin in a contemplative manner.

"Hmm…perhaps. Why do you want to?" She asked the young woman, much to Chris and Jude's shock.

"Wait, seriously?" He asked her.

"Your strength really inspired me back at the mine." Was Leia's answer. "I thought to myself; I want to be just like you."

Chris approached Alvin, who was smirking at the display.

"Pretty foolish of the girl but you gotta admire the dedication and determination." She said as she patted his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, whatever happens to her is Milla's decision now." Alvin said in a serious manner as he watched Leia hand Milla a paper that lists her reasons why she wants to come with them. Apparently, there are at least a hundred of them. The conversation dragged on for another minute until Milla decided she can tag along.

"I like you. You're so very human." Milla said with a fond smile on her face. She liked the girl's determination. It was one of the traits she liked best in humans.

"You gotta be kidding me." Jude said in exasperation. Leave it to Milla to let someone tag along for such a reason.

"Okay, now that it's all official. I'm happy to join. Thanks for asking!" Leia said with a cheerful smile on her face.

Somehow, they're initial party of three became a party of seven.

* * *

**AN: And that is it for Chapter XVI. I hate to cut this short but it's getting pretty long and I have an advising at school I have to go to so I hope you guys enjoyed this. Yes, I intend to portray Derrick as the dick I always see him as. But again I hope you enjoyed. As always, votes and polls are still open. Please refer to Chapter X if you don't know about it. Please leave a review or your favorites to this story. Until next time, my cubs. Ciao!**


	18. Chapter 17: On the Road Again

**AN (05/13/15): Hey, everyone, this is GroundZeroFirework back with the new chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin. I am so, so, sorry for the extremely late update on this chapter. I got sent off to Church camp (I'm a Baptist, for your information) for 3 days and I just got home like 2 days ago. I was shipped off before I could actually update on my Strawberry Panic fanfic so I just started on this Chapter for "The Lilium Twin". Again, I profusely apologize for making you guys wait for so long. Anyways, thanks to those who reviewed and left their favorites here. I hope you guys enjoyed the previous chapter and will enjoy this one as well so without further ado, let's start on this new chapter.**

* * *

**CHAPTER XVII:**

**ON THE ROAD AGAIN**

* * *

"Leia, you can't just sneak into a passenger ship. It's against the law." Jude reprimanded his childhood friend in an exasperated manner.

"Oh, really, Mister Rashugal's Most Wanted." Leia retorted back at him with a pout.

"Ooh, burn." Chris said before making a sound that resembles a sizzle.

"She does have you there." Milla pointed out before turning to Chris. "Also, you're one to talk; you're a wanted criminal too."

"I know that but I like making fun of others at their expense. Even if I am in the same boat as they are. Call me a hypocrite if you want." Chris answered with a shrug.

"You guys don't have to worry. I gave the sailors free coupons to my family's lodge in exchange for my passage." The young lady proudly reported.

"By the way, how were you able to find out that we were headed to Lakutam Seahaven?" Rowen asked her.

"Hehe…funny story…" Leia began with a nervous laugh that just spelled out the fact that it was most likely an unorthodox method. "I got on a ship that I assumed was going to Sapstrath but it turned out to be Lakutam-bound." She answered.

"Hehe…you…you're not screwing with us, are you?" Chris asked in an exasperated tone. She seriously thought Leia was just joking.

"Wait, so you got on the wrong ship and found us purely by chance?" Jude asked in surprise.

"Dumb luck is truly a frightful thing." Rowen stated.

"Yeah…in any case, let's go around the Seahaven for a bit. See if we can get some info." Jude stated.

"Now you're thinking like a mercenary, kid." Alvin proudly said as he swung an arm around Jude's shoulders with a sly smile and a wink. As they made a move to walk, Elize suddenly stopped in front of the board.

"Look at this! More wanted posters of Jude, Milla and Chris!" The little girl exclaimed. The three people in question simultaneously groaned upon seeing the childish posters.

"Whoa, you both look so evil!" Leia pointed out.

"Seriously, what was the military thinking when they made these posters? These jokers protect your country?" Alvin asked, not hiding the disappointment in his voice.

"Actually, they use a special spirit arte expressly for the sole purpose of creating these posters." Rowen informed them. "Instead of focusing on the outward appearances, the arte renders one's deepest essence into physical form." He added.

"Seriously?" Alvin asked in shock. Now that they thought about it; it's not entirely impossible. Especially on Chris' part; they can see that much. They, Jude especially, can see that she struggles with a much darker side to her. It could be that this arte was showing their hidden and, possibly, true colors. It's not impossible.

"So, these posters are actually showing how we could be like on the inside?" Jude asked for clarification.

"Impossible!" Milla exclaimed in defeat.

"Shit!" Chris sullenly yelled out as she dropped her face to her palm. Okay, she cursed ONCE. She hasn't broken her promise yet.

"I can sort of see it, actually. Look how well this illustration captures Milla's callousness!" Alvin said as he crossed his arms and tilted his head to better examine the posters.

"And the one of Jude captures his surprisingly decisive side like nothing I've ever seen!" Leia pointed out.

"And see Chris' poster; it clearly shows her potent and latent dark side that is very much there." The mercenary said.

"The more I look at it, the more it really resembles Jude, Milla and Chris." Elize said as she looked away from the poster.

"Oh no! They'll be caught for sure!" Teepo exclaimed in a panic. The three people in the posters groaned and slumped in defeat.

"Wow...I didn't realize it was so bad." Jude said in defeat.

"I was a fool not to fear this poster." Milla mused out loud. "To think that human aesthetics might be our undoing." She added.

"Damn it...not only has that stupid arte shown the side I've been hiding and suppressing but now, I really can't go home to my Aunt." Chris said, frustration evident in her voice. Rowen turned around and walked a few meters away from them. He said that because he thought Chris or Jude would have enough common sense to call the joke out. But dear me, he was wrong.

"Oh, dear...how am I going to tell them that it was all a joke now."

After that particular event, the party went their separate ways for now, with Alvin and Rowen accompanying Elize around the Seahaven, Jude and Milla were side by side as always and Chris accompanying Leia.

"You know when I said you should come with us, I meant that as a joke" The young woman told her companion as they examined weapons in the Weapon shop.

"I know but…Milla's really inspiring. I want to help you guys." Leia responded as she turned her gaze to the sea.

"Help us? Or help Jude?" Chris teasingly asked her as she paid for the weapon she bought. Leia started stuttering and grasping for an answer until Chris held her hand out.

"You don't have to answer that." She said before handing her the new Rune Staff that she bought for Leia.

"For me?" The young staff user asked her.

"Don't worry. It came from Alvin's share of our money. It's payback for ditching us in Sharilton." Chris explained with a straight face before smiling at the end of her explanation. Leia carefully took the staff from her immediately.

"Th-Thanks." She said with a smile and a nod.

"Come on. Let's head over to where our friends are." Chris suggested as she nodded her head to their direction in the Seahaven. With a nod, they walked over to them. They arrived just in time to hear see Jude gazing at something hanging from his neck.

"Whatcha got there?" Leia asked in curiosity. Jude immediately put the item under his shirt.

"It's a pendant." He answered as he looked at her.

"I've seen that before. Isn't that Milla's?" Elize asked in curiosity upon recognizing the item. "You said you treasured that pendant." She added as she turned to Milla. Chris started nudging Alvin in the ribs, wondering if she should make a bet on how long it would take for Jude to spill about his feelings for Milla should she decide to interrogate him.

"I did. That's why I gave it to Jude." Milla answered like it was no big deal.

"Hmmm…a gift from Milla, huh?" Leia said with a slight hint of jealousy.

"A treasured relic from Lord Maxwell herself. I wonder how much I could hock that for?" Alvin stated as he blocked Chris' elbow with his hand.

"Is money all you care about?" Chris asked him. A query that was promptly ignored by the mercenary.

"It's just a bead made out of glass. Its value is purely sentimental." Milla answered.

"How interesting? Do you mind telling us the story behind it?" Rowen requested of her. Milla took a deep breath and crossed her arms before speaking again.

"Was it about fourteen years ago?" She wondered out loud before continuing. "I left Nia Khera. Just for the day. I remember happening across some children and playing games with them."

"I thought you just stayed in your shrine while people worshipped you." The young man said in wonder.

"Normally, yes. That was the first and last time I ever played like humans do. Even after I told them who I was, they didn't hold back in the slightest. They beat me soundly at tag and hide-and-seek."

"Well, that's innocence for you; kids normally wouldn't care who you are as long as you play with them and treat them nice. Wish I could have some semblance of innocence back." Chris said as she crossed her arms.

"I'm glad you didn't use the power of the Four to win!"

"I might've. But I ordered the Four away on a special mission that day." She said.

"So if they had been there; you really would've used them?" Rowen asked her.

"A special mission for the Four, huh?" Alvin said in wonder. He remembered that day well. He was 12 when that day happened but he had no idea what caused it. He had no idea what made what happened that day happen.

"They were wild, rambunctious children, but when I left, they gave me that glass bead and said 'We can play again tomorrow'." Milla fondly recounted.

"They must've wanted to be friends." Elize shyly stated.

"You know, I've never felt closer to humans than I did on that day. That was when I knew I wanted to protect them." She stated. Those weren't the only things she remembered that day; she could faintly remember a huge and intimidating building, a flurry of winds, the cries of spirits and another cry she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She could also feel a weight on her arms that she couldn't remember what it was. But all she knows is that it made her feel warm and gave her another surge of protectiveness. Milla couldn't remember much of that day aside from playing with those children; she was only six years of age back then.

"A lovely story." Rowen said with a tender smile.

"I know just how you feel." Jude added. After the conversation, they went around the Seahaven again with Chris wandering into the inn to buy a sandwich. Once she was done eating, she headed outside once again just in time to meet with Jude and the others.

"Anything useful?" She asked them.

"There's a monster around the Highroad called the 'Lord of Lakutam'." Elize answered her. Chris patted her head once again to alleviate the feeling of fear that she was obviously exuding.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, kid." She assured the little girl, who nodded in response. Then they started walking.

"Chris, I have a question for you." Milla said, promptly stopping the girl in her tracks.

"What?" Chris asked with a straight face as she turned back to Milla.

"When…when you were children; did you and Ethan ever fight?" The older woman asked her. Earlier, she and the others saw two sisters arguing and she wondered if all siblings are like that? Do siblings always have disagreements and arguments? Milla thought who better to ask than the person who actually had experience with siblings?

"What? Like monsters and stuff? If so, yeah. It was part of our training with our old man." The young woman answered.

"That's not what I meant. I meant did you ever have a quarrel between siblings?" Milla clarified for her.

"Oh…that…no…we didn't. But Ethan used to scold me. And I used to cry a lot." She responded as she looked up in remembrance.

"Because he scolded you?" Leia asked her in curiosity.

"No. Because he wouldn't give me my allowance since he knows I would waste it on chocolate parfaits. On some days, it would work like a charm. On some days, it doesn't. And I would cry until I fall asleep when that happens." She responded as she crossed her arms.

"What does he usually scold you about?" Elize asked her. It seems that everyone is interested in hearing her story. Chris closed her eyes and recalled what Ethan scolded her about with a faint smile on her face.

"I was kind of a problem child ever since our mom died. I trash talked. A LOT. Teachers, bullies, even our dad behind his back. That last part he didn't like so he scolded me a lot for it. But I tended to tune him out. 'In one ear and out the other' as our Aunt would say. But the actual punching and yelling at one another never happened between us."

"I see. Thank you." Were the only things Milla said before walking ahead of them.

"What brought this on?" Chris asked Alvin, who was standing beside her.

"No idea." He answered with a shrug. Deciding to let the issue go, they all headed off to the Seahaven's entrance, intending to start off on their journey yet again. All of a sudden, Alvin stopped.

"Hey, aren't we close to Nia Khera?" The gruff mercenary asked them.

"Are we?" Milla asked in wonder.

"Don't you want to drop by?" Alvin asked her as he put his hands on his hips. Chris' eyebrows furrowed as she frowned; Alvin's being fishy again. Why would he want Milla to go to Nia Khera?

"Why? I have no business there." She answered as she crossed her arms, also finding his attitude suspicious. "Is there some reason you want to go?"

"No, of course not. I just figured the villagers might be worried. They worship you, you know?" He casually reminded her.

"I appreciate your concern for the villagers' well being but we have no time for detours." Milla stated. Alvin simply shrugged in acceptance before Rowen spoke up.

"If we follow the Lakutam Highroad north, we shall reach a city known as Xian Du."

Well, that was a place Chris hasn't heard of in a long time. Suddenly, she remembered Xian Du; it's beautiful Cliffside architecture, expertly carved statues, the floating coliseum, the bridge, the long river that stretches to the Xagut Floodmeadow…but most off all; she was reminded of the home where a familiar face would always greet her with a tight hug and a motherly kiss on the forehead that would always make her feel warm, safe and loved. It was the home that she abandoned, ran away from, at the tender age of 12. She wondered if that person still lives in that house or if she still teaches History. And if she did; would she still be welcome to visit? Or even finally come home when she could proudly say that she managed to become a doctor? Was she still even entitled to that same tight hug and motherly kiss that she always received? She'd like to find out as soon as they got there…but she can't. She didn't want to show her face to her as a wanted person.

"Xian Du, huh?" She mumbled, intending it to be to herself but Elize heard her.

"What was that, Chris?" The younger girl asked her in curiosity as she held onto her doll. Chris smiled and patted her head.

"Nothing. You said Xian Du, right?" She asked as she turned to Rowen with a small smile.

"That is correct." The elderly gentleman answered.

"I can lead you guys there." She stated with a hint of arrogance in her tone.

"How?" Leia asked her.

"I know the Highroad like the back of my hand. I lived in Xian Du before going to Fennmont." She answered.

"Is that where your Aunt lived?" Jude asked her and she nodded.

"Where our dad dumped us. I have no intentions of seeing her NOW, though. It's kinda dangerous." She said with a serious tone.

"Of course. Your Aunt's safety must be paramount to you." Milla said in an understanding tone.

"Hold your horses. What about that monster that prowls the highroad? What's it called? The Lord of Lakutam?" Alvin asked them. Well, that was something they forgot to consider.

"My, you are rather well-informed. Rest assured, the Lord of Lakutam is a slave to spirit climes like any other monster." Rowen informed them. "Now that we have shifted into Ragnome, the beast will be positively timid. I doubt it will venture anywhere near the highroad." He added.

"See, little buddy, no reason to be scared!" Teepo teasingly exclaimed, much to Elize's delight.

"Don't expect me to pluck you from the monster's jaws, spud." Alvin warned him.

"Right, let's hit the highroad." Jude declared. Seeing no room for argument, they all agreed and exited the Seahaven.

* * *

**SKIT: The Great Gel Scare of Trames 2293 (The Whole Party)**

**Chris: **Okay, so we have weapons, some food to eat and some life bottles. I guess we're good to go.

**Leia: *nervously* **W-Wow, Chris, I never realized that you were a meticulous planner.

**Rowen: *chuckles* **Indeed. I would've thought that sort of planning would be up Jude's alley.

**Chris: *blushes* **Sh-Shut up. I'm just trying to be careful here. ***panics* **Oh, no! Did I buy gels? Di-Did someone buy gels?

**Alvin: *approaches* *surprised* **Holy crap! Is the almighty Chris freaking out over gels?

**Milla: **Come now, Alvin, she could be having a panic attack. ***approaches* **Now, Chris, I want to you take a deep breath.

**Chris: *defensive* **I am not having a panic attack!

**Alvin: *chuckles* **Okay, calm down. I got your gels. now, you may- ***drops gel from bag* **Whoops. ***kicks gel***

**Chris: *angrily* **Alvin, you idiot!

**Leia: *smug* **Don't worry. I got this. Whoa! ***hits gel with palm***

**Rowen: **Oh my! ***hits gel with elbow***

**Jude: *approaches* **Hey guys, what's-

**Chris: **Shut up and catch the gel!

**Jude: *surprised* **Whoa! ***hits it with fist***

**Elize: **Aaaaahhh! ***hits gel with rod***

**Milla: **I'll handle this. ***swings blade***

**Chris: *exasperated* **Oh for the love of- ***chokes***

**Leia: *nervously* **Um…guys…I think the gel went down Chris throat…

**Jude: *alarmed* **You're right. ***pounds her back***

**Teepo: *cheerfully* **Least she caught it with her mouth. Yay, Chris!

**Alvin: *smirks* **Hey, the gel didn't go to waste.

**Chris: *tiredly* **You guys are going to be the death of me, I swear.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Milla asked Chris as they walked on the Highroad.

"Well, I'm still alive after you propelled a gel down my gullet, so okay I guess." She responded as she massaged her throat which was still aching from the sudden invasion of an apple gel.

"If it weren't for Jude's quick thinking, I'm not sure what would've happened. You probably would've choked to death." Milla said as she turned to look at the young man she just spoke of, who was trailing a few feet away from them, talking to Leia. More like arguing with her about something.

"Yeah. I'm a lucky duck. Listen, you seem to be fond of Jude, I just noticed." Chris lied. She didn't notice this just now; she's been noticing this since the Aladhi Seahaven. Ever since she's met him, Mathis has shown her nothing but half to not really genuine smiles. But ever since Milla suddenly showed up in their lives, Chris noticed that his smiles slowly became more genuine, especially when he's around Milla. Like he was happier when he was around her. To be honest, Chris was rooting for him. He wouldn't be surprised if after all of this, he would ask Milla out on a date or something. The kid needed to do something other than study.

"Oh, what makes you say that?" Milla asked as she crossed her arms. Chris gestured for them to continue walking so their companions wouldn't hear them.

"Well, I noticed that you link with him a lot more than Alvin or Elize. I did a study once, a mock thesis if you will, during my freshman year in Talim for our Statistics class that says that most people who link with other people in the field tend to favor people that their fond of. But wait, there's more; most of these people are either lovers or have a mutual attraction towards one another." Chris responded with a small smile on her face. She would very much like to hear Milla's feelings for Jude. She already knows that Jude likes her; all that's left is the other piece of the puzzle.

"Hmmm…I see…and you think that Jude and I have a mutual attraction towards one another?" Milla asked her. The smile on Chris' face slowly turned into a frown. Could it be that she was wrong?

"Well…it's not impossible. Don't you know what love is? Or even felt it?" Chris curiously asked. Well, it's most likely impossible for Milla to have felt love. Or even know what it is, considering that she went twenty years of her life with little to no human contact.

"Love? What does the Lord of Spirits know about love? I've only read about love in books, but reading about something and actually feeling it are two different things. I've never felt love and I certainly don't have time for it as well, however. And as for this attraction you speak of…well, there are some things in Jude that I find attractive and can't find in most humans." Milla said before turning her gaze to Jude for a bit.

"Such as?" The young woman accompanying her egged on. Milla contemplated on it for a bit before answering.

"He's certainly attractive from a female point of view. Any woman would be lucky to have man as handsome as he is."

"_Oh, I know. I'm standing in front of her already. You're the lucky lady that holds his attention. You already have him." _Chris thought with a smirk on her face. "What else?" She asked the woman standing before her.

"He's kind, hardworking and friendly and is willing to help anyone in need. He respects anyone he knows who deserves that respect and he's not afraid to stand up for himself and to not back away from a challenge. His intelligence is nothing to dismiss either." Milla listed off as they walked yet again.

"He adores you." Chris blurted out, earning a confused look from Milla. "Jude may not say it, but I can see that he does."

"I see." Milla responded as she crossed her arms. "Well, as flattered as I am, I do not hold such romantic feelings for Jude. We should keep going." She sternly said before walking ahead of Chris.

"Heh…maybe they need to spend a little more time together. I know for a fact that she likes him as well. But not at that level yet." Chris declared before following after the older woman. She hadn't even gotten far from her initial position yet when a Terra Goblin attacked her. It leapt in the air and tried to slam its body on her, launching her in the air. Luckily, Chris recovered quickly and did a back flip so she would land on her feet. She drew her sword and just noticed how rightfully screwed she is; she's surrounded by the three Terra Goblins and two Skunkys. Yet she felt no fear despite this. And could only smile at the challenge.

"Game on." She muttered before running at them. She ran at the first Terra Goblin and slashed her sword upwards, bringing it to the air. She jumped after it and slashed her sword sideways, cutting its tail off but not quite finishing its life. All of a sudden, the Terra Goblin in front of her went flying. Apparently, Jude just kicked the Goblin she was trying to take care of.

"Need any help?" Jude asked her as he linked up with Milla, who was just running up to them.

"Much obliged." Chris said with a smirk before they went and attacked.

"_Aqua Sweep!" _

"_Flame Ring!"_

Combining these two artes, the pair quickly took down the Terra Goblin from earlier, just as Leia arrived to aid them. She brought her Rune Staff down on the Skunky's head, making it dazed and confused before using an arte of her own.

"_Darting Claw!"_

She thrust her staff at the Skunky three times. Once she was done, Chris was ready to take over.

"_Tiger Blade!"_

Chris swung her sword upwards, sending their opponent a few meters in the air before she jumped up and brought her sword down, cleaving the Skunky in half.

"Eww…" Leia said in disgust.

"Well, you'll be seeing more of this soon, kid." Chris said as she threw her dagger at another Terra Goblin's head and turned just in time to see Rowen take care of another Skunky. Jude and Milla used a link arte against the second Terra Goblin. Then there were Elize and Alvin, who tag teamed in taking care of the last one.

"_Negative Gate!"_

"_Arc Fire!" _

With a barrage of bullets and a couple of shadowy hands emerging from the floor, the last of their opponents finally fell.

"Glad that's over." Leia said as she slumped forward a bit.

"See, I told you this isn't a game." Jude reminded her. Before they can bicker, however, Alvin stepped in.

"Alright, alright, children, settle down. Let's move on before Milla leaves us behind." He said with a smirk as he patted both their heads. They both shrugged and kept on walking. As they walked, however, they saw a bird fly overhead. A bird that was familiar to Jude and Chris.

"Expecting a message, Alvin?" Jude asked as they looked up.

"Huh?" Milla voiced out in confusion.

"I've seen him using that bird to send messages before…" The young man clarified before approaching her. "To a woman, apparently." He whispered.

"Sorry, folks. I'll be done in a jiff. Everyone take five." Alvin said as he retrieved the letter from the bird. Jude and Milla went off on the side on their own while Chris, Leia and Elize stayed near Rowen and Alvin. Elize and Teepo saw the bird perched on a nearby rock and approached it.

"What is it?" Elize asked in curiosity while Teepo nudged it with his head.

"It's a Sylphjay, Elize." Chris answered as she approached them and patted the bird. "He's rather well trained. Most would fly off before you can even touch it. Guess that's why most soldiers use them a lot."

"You are rather intelligent, Chris. Most people your age would just call it 'bird' instead of its proper name. Indeed; soldiers do use them to communicate from one platoon to another because they are easy to train." Rowen said with a gentle smile. Chris returned the smile and pointed to one area at the back its head.

"Its mana lobe is here." She told them before pointing to its chest. "And the heart is here as usual. Stomach and liver is somewhere on its underside. And their wings can flap on for hours to days without getting tired." She explained to them.

"How do you know that, Chris?" Teepo asked her.

"Yeah, I had the misfortune of cutting one open during my sophomore year." She answered without missing a beat.

"That's disgusting!" Teepo exclaimed in shock.

"What? Why would you cut one of these open?" Leia asked with a disgusted look on her face. She could hardly imagine what a Sylphjay would look like when cut open.

"Anatomy class, that's why. As much as I hate to admit it; I upchucked when I saw its insides." She answered as she shivered at the memory. It was a good thing the Sylphjay was already dead when she cut it open. Otherwise, she would've cried as well. All of a sudden, Alvin appeared and gently took the bird into his arm.

"Sorry, kids, show and tell is over." He said as he put his letter on the bird's leg yet again. Then he sent it flying and they approached Jude and Milla.

"Anyhow, we should get going." Milla told him, finishing her conversation with Jude. They continued walking with everyone having their own conversations on the road so that the journey wouldn't be too boring.

"Hey, Milla..." Elize began.

"Are you really Maxwell?" Teepo finished for her.

"I am. Had I not mentioned that yet?" Milla asked in confusion. She could've sworn that she's informed the young channeler and her doll about it. All of a sudden, Teepo screamed.

"SHE ISN'T HUMAN! RUN AWAY!"

"Geez, you can't just go yelling those kinds of things. That's rude." Chris scolded the doll as Elize approached her companion.

"Having seen the strength of Milla's resolve, I have no trouble believing that to be true." Rowen said as they walked.

"So, how come you look so normal?" Leia asked. Oh, there it is; Chris was envisioning the old man with the beard in the body of a 20 year old again. This time, she felt a bit lightheaded.

"_Thanks, Leia…"_ She sarcastically said in her mind.

"I have taken physical form by using the elements within a human body as a catalyst." She answered without missing a beat.

"Wait, so you mean we humans have earth, wind, fire and water in our bodies?" Chris asked in confusion. "The water part I can understand and maybe even fire but the last two, I don't." She added.

"Correct. Though it has proved to be a rather irksome vessel with many limitations." Milla said with downcast eyes as if she's disappointed of the way humans are.

"Well, excuse us if we can't fly or breathe fire or something." Chris said with an annoyed look on her face, having taken offense to the statement.

"So, Milla is Maxwell in a human body." Rowen said as he stroked his beard. Just as Chris was getting rid of the image from earlier by countering it with her curiosity and sarcastic banter, Rowen just had to unwittingly bring that image up to the surface of her mind again.

"_Oh, come on. Keep this up; I really will barf and faint." _She thought to herself with an audible groan.

"Well, that doesn't change who she is, right? Let's leave it at that." Leia declared.

"It's still a little scary." Elize said as she cowered near Chris, who patted her head in assurance.

"But haven't you always known Milla to be scary when she's angry about something?" Rowen asked her.

"I guess that's true." The little girl said as if she's just realized something.

"Oh, are they afraid of me? Or is this a sign of respect?" Milla asked in confusion.

"It's both." Chris teasingly answered, earning an elbow to the rib from Leia.

"Anyway, I suppose either will do." She added. Chris rolled her eyes in exasperation before she kept on walking. They continued walking for about an hour and by then, they were all ready to just camp out in the Highroad.

"Are you ladies feeling well? Anyone need a break?" Alvin asked them.

"I'm good." Chris answered with a wave of her hand.

"I'm okay!" Elize responded, trying to hide her tiredness.

"You sure are friendly. I thought mercenaries were supposed to be gruff and scary." Leia remarked as she looked at Alvin. The mercenary did look like he was tough as nails but he was very friendly that one would think him to be just a simple traveler or something.

"Haha…that's just a stereotype. Although there certainly are a few like that. For the prime example, look to your right." He told her with a smirk. Elize looked to her right, seeing Leia, Leia did the same, seeing Chris, who in turn looked to her right and saw the cliff wall.

"Alvin, when was the cliff wall a gruff and scary mercenary?" Chris asked, pretending not to know who he was talking about.

"I was talking about you." He clarified as he looked to the sky and put his hands on the back of his head. Chris was offended but she was not falling for that.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that so I don't attack you and prove you right." She passively said with an epic poker face.

"Sure thing, kid. Anyway, a true pro uses good manners and a kind demeanor to compensate for the job's shadier aspects." Alvin informed them.

"Huh, I guess Alvin would be even worse if he was rude as well as devious." Teepo remarked as he tilted his head.

"Hehe…I suppose." He responded with a chuckle.

"Wow...you really are cool if you can let comments like that roll off your back, little buddy." Leia said in admiration.

"Right? Sass from stuffed animals, cheeky teenagers calling me _"little buddy". _Nope, don't care one bit." Alvin said with a smug smirk.

"Are you guys done? Because they're leaving us behind." Chris said as she pointed to Jude, Milla and Rowen, who were walking a good few feet away from them.

"Whoops. Better catch up to them." Alvin said. With a nod of agreement, they followed and the group kept walking until they heard a familiar voice.

"Lady Milla! There you are!"

All of a sudden, Ivar dropped down from seemingly out of nowhere, startling Chris and making her fall to the ground again.

"What the actual crap?" She angrily yelled as Leia helped her up. Anymore surprises and exasperation and she will end up breaking her promise to Ethan to tone down the cursing.

"It's a miracle! You can walk!" He happily exclaimed upon seeing Milla standing a little ways from him.

"Ivar? What are you doing here?" Jude asked in bewilderment.

"Who's this guy?" Leia asked as she turned to Jude.

"Milla's personal cockroach, that's who." Chris said with crossed arms and a passive face.

"He's Milla's handmaid." The young man answered.

"Now that your legs have healed, you must return to the village at once, please!" Ivar begged as he kneeled. "If something were to happen to you again, I don't know what I'd do." He added. Chris scoffed before speaking up. Ivar really grates on her nerves just by showing his face to her and she would very much like to return the favor.

"See; here's the thing, you don't do anything." She said with a smug smirk. Ivar turned to her with an angry look on his face and clenched fists.

"Why, you little brat!" He angrily said.

"I'm well aware of what you are, Ivar. No need to remind me." She said, not losing that smirk of hers.

"That's enough, you two." Milla called them as she turned around. "Ivar, I cannot return yet. I have business in Fennmont." She addressed Ivar.

"In that case, allow me to accompany you." He requested as he stood up.

"_I will kill you in your sleep if you come with us…"_ Chris thought as her eye twitched.

"That won't be necessary. I have all the help I need." Milla promptly informed him.

"From these people?" He angrily asked; like a child who was denied some candy.

"These people, Jude and Leia here, helped me walk again. They can be trusted." She assured him.

"Jude again…urgh…" Ivar growled, clearly jealous of the attention that Jude has been getting from Milla.

"Uh…I'm Leia. Nice to meet you." Leia nervously said as she rubbed the back of her head. When that was said and done, she retreated back to Jude's side.

"He's got some issues, huh?" She whispered in his ear.

Understatement of the century.

"You must feel pretty pleased about yourself now that Lady Milla is on her feet again." Ivar states once he's finally calmed down.

"Well, I did promise that I would help her walk again. And here she is walking." Jude reminded him. Unfortunately, this only served to get Ivar riled up again.

"How dare you take credit for this miracle! It was all due to Lady Milla's divine power! It must've been!" Ivar yelled at him, causing Chris to cover her ears.

"_Don't curse. Don't curse. Don't curse." _She requested of herself as Ivar kept yelling nonsensical things at Jude.

"What is he talking about?" Elize asked in her confusion. She had no idea who this scary and loud man was.

"It would seem Jude keeps the most eccentric company." Rowen stated with a small smile.

"Ivar, I gave you an important mission." Milla reminded him as she turned the opposite direction. "Why are you here?" She asked him.

Sensing his lady's irritation, Ivar bowed before her yet again.

"I've not forgotten about the defense of the village. And the item you entrusted to me is safe. I have it hidden in place known to no other. However, I have recently received this." He informed her as he handed her a note, which Milla gently retrieved from his hands.

"_Maxwell is in grave danger. You must rescue her at once._" She read out loud.

"I rushed forth immediately. I've just recently caught up with you, Lady Milla." He said.

"Who could've written something like this?" Jude wondered out loud. They were all wondering who would send such a message.

"I wonder. But in any case; it's mistaken. As you can see, I'm perfectly fi-"

Milla abruptly stopped in her sentence upon seeing the beast that was running up to them.

"Ivar, run!" Milla yelled at him as they got out of the way.

"Huh?" Ivar wondered out loud and when he turned around, he saw the monster. The Lord of Lakutam was running towards him. In his fear, he was forced the ground as the beast trampled him. They all pulled out their weapons, ready to face the monster. It charged towards them yet again. Thankfully, they all managed to dodge the boar.

"We need a plan." Jude said.

"Okay, y'all prepare your artes while I distract it. Yell when you guys are ready so I can stall it." Chris offered as she separated from them. She picked up a stone and threw it at the creature's head before it got anywhere close to Alvin and Elize.

"HEY! OVER HERE, YOU DUMB PIG!" She yelled at it. The monster was probably seeing red and charged at her.

"Hoo boy…" Chris said before running around the Highroad in a wild chase.

"Whoa, she's reckless." Leia said as she watched them.

"Leia, the moment Chris has stalled the Lord of Lakutam, I need you and Alvin to deliver physical attacks against it." Rowen requested of her.

"You got it." She said. None of them noticed that Elize has already prepared an arte to aid Chris.

"ANYTIME NOW!" The running girl yelled.

"_Negative Gate!"_

"Stop it now, Chris!" Teepo yelled. Immediately, Chris turned around and using the Strength aspect of her Lilium orbs, grabbed the horns of the Lord of Lakutam, stopping it dead in its tracks as pairs of shadowy hands emerged from the ground, delivering damage to the beast. Leia and Alvin ran up immediately and delivered their own attacks.

"_Sonic Thrust!"_

"_Soaring Vortex!" _

The beast thrashed around in pain, forcing Chris to release it and it immediately ran, sending her up in the air and flat on her back in pain. If she didn't break a rib then, she wasn't sure what would. She groaned as she got up yet again and drew her sword. Jude and Milla were already using a linked arte on the beast.

"_Twin Lance!"_

Elize, meanwhile, immediately grabbed Teepo's leg and rapidly twirled her rod around, injuring the Lord of Lakutam. When she got down, it was poised to attack her but thanks to Rowen's arte, it was stalled long enough for Elize to make her escape.

"_Air Pressure!"_

A burst of air suddenly appeared from the arte and immensely damaged the beast. As this was happening, Jude, Milla and Leia were delivering their own volley of attacks against it. Milla cut and slashed different parts of its body, Leia hit it in the head and ribs with her rod while Jude delivered punches and kicks to its head area. Chris ran up to them with her sword drawn and used her own arte once she's jumped in the air.

"_Tempest Strike!" _

Chris twirled in the air, hitting the beast's back. It howled and thrashed around in pain and kicked Milla in the midst of it, sending her flying on her back and landing on the hard ground.

"Milla!" Jude yelled out in worry before running up to her and healing her. He took her hand and helped her up before they ran up to attack the Lord of Lakutam yet again.

"_Swallow Dance!"_

As Jude attacked the beast, Milla worked on her own arte. A red arte ring surrounded her and within seconds, she released the arte.

"_Flame Ring!"_

A ring of fire suddenly surrounded the beast and injured it. Alvin, meanwhile, ran up and shot his gun.

"_Arc Fire!"_

The bullets hit the boar's feet before he ran up and slashed his sword against the beast's side with Chris while Elize sent her light stars directly at its face. Leia immediately rushed up with her staff and used her own arte.

"_Spiral Strike!"_

Combining her arte and with Jude's well timed uppercut, the boar was sent a few meters up in the air and Milla immediately slashed its side.

"I'm gonna turn you into a roast!" Chris declared as she summoned a Fireball. Once the beast fell down, she threw it right at it. The Lord of Lakutam howled in pain before Rowen sent another arte its way.

"_Marche Waltz!"_

The moment the artes hit the boar-like beast, it slowly backed off, clearly way too injured to keep on fighting before completely turning tail and running away. Putting their weapons away, they all took a sigh of relief at finally ridding themselves of the beast.

"You call that timid? I thought you said the monster would be a pussycat now that Solum and Ragnome is here." Alvin complained as he twirled his aching wrist.

"That should be the case. Unless-" Rowen said as the realization set in.

"With the Four Great Spirits missing, the Spirit Climes have essentially stopped shifting." Ivar informed them.

"Great. How will we cross Fezebel Marsh to get to Fennmont?" Jude wondered out loud.

"Cross Fezebel Marsh?" Ivar asked them before bursting into hysterical laughter. "You people are out of your minds! Only a wyvern could reach Fennmont at this point."

Chris groaned at Ivar, clearly not appreciating the fact that he was butting in on their conversation. Suddenly, she remembered something.

"Fortunately, it just so happens that, I, the redoubtable handmaid, can be of assistance to Lady Milla." He boasted.

"You know a way to get there?" Jude asked him.

"I have in my possession a wyvern faithful only to me. I would be happy to transport Lady Milla to Fennmont." Ivar proudly said. But she would have none of that.

"Ivar, is there any other way?" She asked him, much to his bewilderment.

"There is." Chris spoke up as she crossed her arms. They all turned to her in surprise.

"How?" Leia asked her in curiosity.

"I just remembered that Xian Du has wyvern pens. I could pull some strings to get us some. Not only that; I have my own wyvern." She responded. Milla turned to Ivar yet again.

"Is this true?" She asked. Ivar was seething; how dare that brat interfere with his chance to impress Lady Milla? He hesitantly responded.

"I have heard of a clan in Xian Du that can control monsters. It's true that they raise wyverns there, apparently."

"I guess that's our next stop." Alvin said.

"Onward to Xian Du." Rowen declared.

"Ivar, thank you. Ivar?" Milla called for him; confused as to why he was getting so angry. Chris gently took Milla's hand and pulled her away.

"Uh…shall we go?" Leia asked them.

"Yeah." Jude responded and they all walked away.

"Why is he so angry?" Milla asked Chris once they were out of earshot.

"Who cares? Let's just move on." She responded as they walked. She may face monsters, broken ribs, certain death, hell maybe even her own father in this journey. One thing is for sure; she is glad that Ivar is finally out of her face.

* * *

**AN (05/26/15): Okay, finally. I am so sorry this took so damn long. I'll spare you guys the details as to why but I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Also, I'm sure everyone noticed the reference to the short story "The Day Milla Maxwell was Born". Yes, you saw that right; it was from that short story. Well, I can tell you guys that I will be touching up more on this at the end of the Xillia 1 storyline and somewhere during the Xillia 2 storyline. As usual, polls are still open, as is the voting. If you guys have no idea what I'm referring to please refer to Chapter X. Please leave your reviews and your favorites. I really appreciate them. Til next time. Ciao!**


	19. Chapter 18: The Haunt of the Fallen

**AN: Hello, everybody, GroundZeroFirework here with the new chapter of "ToX: The Lilium Twin". Anyways, I tried to update this as fast as possible and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who left their reviews and favorites on the previous chapters. I truly appreciate them. And now, without any further ado, let's continue on with this new chapter.**

* * *

**CHAPTER XVIII:**

**HAUNT OF THE FALLEN**

* * *

"How far are we from Xian Du?" Leia asked after they've walked for a couple of minutes now.

"Not far. I can see the entrance already." Chris responded as she walked ahead of them. Milla, Alvin, Elize and Rowen were talking not too far from them. And it seems Alvin decided to scare Elize and Teepo again because the little girl ran up to Jude and held his hand.

"Alvin, how many times have I told you not to scare Elize and Teepo?" She scolded the mercenary.

"Whoops, sorry 'bout that." Alvin sheepishly said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"What is it this time?" Jude asked Elize, who relayed to them that Alvin told her that wyverns eat naughty children and that a wyvern will eat Teepo if they try to ride one. Okay, this time even they have to admit it was pretty hilarious. Jude immediately moved to pat her head as he chuckled.

"Don't worry, Elize. I'm sure it's not true. Chris had a wyvern and she was very naughty as a child and she's still standing here." Jude teasingly said. As much as she wanted to rebuke him, she felt the need to cheer the little girl and her toy up.

"Yeah. See. I'm still here. My wyvern didn't eat me even though I was naughty." She said with a smile on her face. Elize giggled in response.

"Hey, you're right!" Teepo said as if he just realized that.

"Which reminds me, Chris; are you sure you don't know Beastcraft?" Milla asked her as she crossed her arms.

"Positive. Why?" She answered as she put her hands in her jacket's pockets.

"Hmmm…it's rather odd that you would own a wyvern without knowing Beastcraft. Usually, it's the only way to control them." Rowen said as he rubbed his beard. Chris chuckled in amusement. She can tell that to Rowen and Milla, she's being a bit suspicious right now.

"Heh…not necessarily. Beastcraft is only utilized because it makes the job easier. My taming of my wyvern was all natural, mind you." She said as she scratched her neck.

"How natural?" Leia asked as she crossed her arms.

"Let's see…how should I put this; my dad has a wyvern and my wyvern was its child. I basically raised my wyvern from the ground up. I've had her since I was eight." She said like it was no big deal. "Now, I suggest we continue on." She said before she started walking. Seeing no reason to argue, the others followed her immediately.

* * *

The moment they stepped foot in Xian Du, the amazement in most of her companions eyes couldn't be mistaken. Chris walked ahead of them to take the lead since they were probably unfamiliar with Xian Du.

"Hello and welcome to Xian Du; home of Rieze Maxia's Coliseum, wyverns and various clans around Auj Oule. Also former home of fights to the death. I'll be your tour guide for today so please stay close to me!" Chris jokingly told them before she turned around to examine the place. Xian Du hasn't really changed much over the years. It was still the same city she lived in for 10 years. Once again, another scene flashed before her mind's eye and the young girl saw another specter of her younger self and her brother; they were both aged seven this time. Yet again, they were running around the place, playing while trying to avoid bumping into the people.

"_First one home wins!" _Chris recalled herself yelling at her older brother as they ran down from the stairs leading up to the wyvern pens. So many times she and her brother have raced around the city like hyperactive dogs, not having a care in the world. It was one of the few things that made her feel so carefree. Like she was just an innocent girl who didn't hate her father for practically abandoning them. The last time they played like that was just before Ethan died; when they raced like kids to the Mon Highlands, not knowing that it was going to be the last time they were going to be able to play with one another.

'_I would give anything to be able to play with you like that again, Ethan. If I could turn back the clock to have you and mom back, I would.' _She thought to herself as she watched the specter of her younger self run up to one of the apartments leading to their home.

"Chris, are you feeling well?" Milla asked upon noticing that the girl had a faraway look in her eyes. Her inquiry promptly snapped Chris out of her musings and the specters disappeared once again.

"Huh? Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine." She responded. Jude turned to her; worry etched on his face.

"You were remembering something, weren't you? About Ethan?" He asked her. Chris promptly nodded in response.

"Would you mind telling us?" Rowen politely requested. He knew that the best way to move on from the pain of losing a loved one was to talk about them. Rowen was delighted when she smiled and nodded before pointing to the staircase where their races usually start.

"You see that staircase over there; Ethan and I…we used to hang out there, after school. When we were going home, I'd always egg him into a race unless he isn't feeling well, which is rare. I'd always yell _'First one home wins' _and we'd run downstairs, through the bridge and back to our apartment where we lived in with our Aunt. Those races were one of the few things that made me feel like a child. Like I never I hated anybody in this world."

"You were very happy with your brother, weren't you?" Leia asked her and she nodded in response.

"He…uh…he and my Aunt, they…they did their best to make sure I felt that I was loved. That's for sure." Chris said with a small smile.

"All this talk is bumming me out!" Teepo exclaimed, much to Elize's shock.

"Teepo! That's rude!" The little girl scolded her toy.

"Don't worry; the toy's right. We should stop talking about this and get a move on." Chris said as she rubbed her forehead before they continued walking.

"So, this is Xian Du. Seems like a tough place to build a city." Jude remarked as they walked by the river.

"Clans have warred against each other in Auj Oule since ancient times. Such constant conflicts have led people to build cities where they can, even in places like this." Rowen informed them.

"You can say we gave the phrase _'Desperate times call for desperate measures' _a whole new meaning." Chris said as she crossed her arms as they took the time to examine the city from where they stood; there were more domesticated monsters than usual, the people – and the city itself for that matter - were especially lively and there were prayer pennants hanging from the buildings. To those unfamiliar to the city, it could be that Xian Du was just holding some sort of Festival but to Chris, this could only mean one thing but she needs confirmation on it…

"The city seems especially lively. Are they having some kind of Festival?" Milla asked in wonder. Excitedly, Leia ran up ahead of them, admiring the statue.

"Hey, look at this cool statue!"

"These statues represent a fusion of international spirit faith and the local tradition of ancestor worship. Or so I've read." Alvin told her.

"I don't remember much…but I remember my Aunt saying that all these statues here are winners of the tournaments." Chris said as she looked at the familiar statue.

"Huh…"

"Yep. Keep your noggin pointed in that general direction." Alvin said as he approached the girl. Leia turned to him with a confused look on her face.

"Don't look at me. Look up. This town is infamous for its falling rocks." He told her with crossed arms.

"What? Don't scare me like that." Leia reprimanded him.

"I wouldn't worry. They usually have those under control. There are rock slides every once in a while but not that often." Chris assured her. Milla looked at Alvin with suspicion; it was one thing for Chris to know the area, seeing as she grew up there. Alvin though…Alvin kinda raises suspicion.

"You speak as if you know the area." She said.

"Been here before. Business trip." Was Alvin's only response. Elize walked around for a bit, feeling as if she's been here before. There was a nostalgic feeling about the place that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Everyone sensed the girl's confusion immediately.

"What's wrong?" Jude asked in worry.

"Hey, this place is familiar, ain't it, Elly?" Teepo asked her.

"Yes, it is." She said in agreement as she looked around. "Ummm…I think we were taken here before, on our way to Hamil." She clarified.

"Did you once live in this area before?" Rowen gently asked her.

"I don't know." Elize said as she turned to him. Suddenly, they saw Alvin walk past Leia.

"Wha? Where are you headed off to?" Leia asked the mercenary in confusion.

"Duty calls. I'll see you all in a bit." He responded.

"Hmph! You're not much of a team player!" She whined after him. Jude stood there in confusion; wondering why Milla hasn't made a move to stop him from leaving.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked Milla.

"Leave him be. I know he'll be back." She answered. "Let's look for those wyverns. Chris, do you mind leading the way?" Milla requested of the girl.

"Follow me." She said with a nod of her head and they started walking once again. They spotted a couple of kids playing and one of the children started hiding behind a flowerbed near them. Before they can go down the stairs, however, they felt some rocks fall from the sky. They looked up and saw a boulder being unhinged from the cliff wall, signifying that it's about to come down any moment now.

"It's going to fall!" Milla yelled in warning. Finally, the boulder loosened and started falling.

"Miss Leia!" Rowen yelled before he jumped and pulled her away.

"Look out!" Milla said as she pushed Elize and Teepo to the side while Chris and Jude retrieved the child, pushed him away and fell off the stairs. Some of the townspeople were starting to run up to them already. Chris helped the child up and sent him to one of the townspeople, not minding the pain from the sprained ankle and wrist that she felt. They immediately ran up to Leia and Rowen.

"Miss Leia, please wake up!" The elderly gentleman pleaded. Leia opened her eyes, much to their relief.

"Heh…sorry about that." Leia groaned in pain.

"We'll have you fixed right up." Jude declared before he and Chris started using their healing artes on her.

"Rowen, you're hurt. I'm sorry." She said in an apologetic tone.

"Never fear. It is merely a flesh wound. You just worry about yourself." Rowen assured her. All of a sudden, a woman ran up to them.

"I'm a doctor. Let me help!" She declared before she added her healing artes into the fray. Some of the townspeople got the boulder out of the way just as they finished. The lady immediately helped Leia up while Chris walked off to heal her own wrist and ankle.

"There you go. Easy does it." She gently said as she helped Leia stand up.

"Thank you so much, Miss…uh…"

"The name's Isla. You're gonna be fine." The woman, Isla, assured her.

"Take it easy, Leia." Milla told her, worry laced in her voice.

"You should sit down for a while." Jude told her.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks, everyone." Leia assured them.

"Some super pal Alvin turned out to be! He's never around when you need him!" Teepo complained as he flew off from Elize's arms, much to Isla's shock. "If he were here, he would've been able to protect Leia!" He added, much to Rowen's chagrin.

"And who do you think just saved the young lady, you intolerable sock puppet?" Rowen angrily asked before grasping the doll and started yanking him around.

"Give him back!" Elize whined in a panic as she tried to retrieved Teepo. TRIED. Leia laughed at the display of an elderly man yanking a doll in a rare moment of fury.

"Rowen, stop, okay!" Jude said with a smile as he watched Rowen hang Teepo upside down.

"Don't stretch him!" The little girl said as she finally retrieved her doll.

"Are you sure you're alright, Leia?" Chris asked as she walked up to them. Leia simply nodded in response.

"Thanks so much, Isla. That was really kind of you." Jude said as he turned to the woman.

"Yeah, that was very nice of you to help." Leia said with a smile.

"Not at all. That's my job." She said. "You folks don't look like you're around here. What brings you to town?" Isla asked them in curiosity.

"We're searching for wyverns. We heard that there are some around here." Milla informed her.

"Wyverns, huh? In that case, you should head across the river. You'll find some big ones in the cages over there. Go and see for yourself." Isla told them as she pointed to one of the staircases. The one that Chris pointed out earlier, in fact.

"That's great news! Thank you for everything, Isla!" Jude cheerfully said in gratitude. Isla chuckled first before responding.

"I'm just glad I could help. Well, I've gotta run. Take care of yourselves. Bye now."

With that said, Isla took her leave.

"Good bye. And thanks again!" Leia called after her and she merely responded with a wave of her hand as she walked away. Eventually, once they've gathered their bearings, they continued on yet again and started crossing the bridge.

* * *

**SKIT: Xian Du's River (Chris, Milla, Jude and Leia)**

**Chris: **Ah, Xian Du's river…it's been a while since I last saw it. ***nostalgically* **Reminds me of the time when I learned how to swim…

**Leia: **How does this river remind you of the time you learned how to swim?

**Chris: *contemplatively* **Hmm…how should I put this? Ah, there we go; when I was 7, I had a thing for walking on the stone guard of the bridge. As usual, Ethan was right beside me to make sure I wouldn't fall off or something like that. Except this time…he may have done the opposite of what he's supposed to do.

**Milla: *curiously* **How so?

**Chris:** ***exasperated* **Instead of making me get off the stone guard, he accidentally pushed me into the river.

**Jude: *surprised* **Seriously?

**Chris: **Yep. He ran off to get me some help but he was kinda being slow about it and before I knew it I was paddling to the boat dock and managed to make it to safety. Then I slipped off and had to swim back again. I have never seen Ethan so scared than he did that day. I like to think of myself as the best swimmer amongst all of us here.

**Leia: *pouting* **Oh, really?

**Chris: *confused* **Yeah, really.

**Jude: *frightened* **Oh, no…

**Leia: *arrogantly* **Hah! I bet I can prove you wrong on that one.

**Chris: *defensively* **Oh really? Well, we'll see about that. You and I are swimming this river in full gear, Rolando! The first one to the coliseum wins! ***runs off***

**Leia: *enthusiastically*** Alright then! I'm all fired up! ***runs away***

**Milla: *chuckles* **How amusing. They seem to have turned it into a competition. I'm glad to see that Chris is getting livelier as the day goes by.

**Jude: **I'm happy about that too. But let's stop them first before they get in trouble with the authorities.

**Milla: **Agreed.

* * *

After managing to stop Chris and Leia from swimming in the river, albeit with some difficulty, they finally crossed the bridge and walked over to the stairs leading to the wyvern pens.

"Look at all those giant ribbons!" Teepo exclaimed in observation.

"These are called Prayer Pennants. People hang them up with wishes from the person who made them, mostly for their relatives' safety. Especially during tournament time." Chris explained to them as they walked up the stairs.

"These are such beautiful cloth designs. This is quite a fascinating culture." Milla said in admiration. Chris led them to a lift that took them higher in the building and they proceeded to emerge from it. Climbing another set of stairs, they saw wyverns in their cages.

"So…yeah, these are the wyvern pens. The Kitarl clan watches over these guys but luckily for us, I happen to know him. I'll see if I can pull some strings to let us borrow some." Chris informed them. They all observed the winged creatures in their cages. The wyverns were white in color and a bit furry as well. They all had saddles and reins. They seem to be calm for now.

"Who's a good wyvern?" Teepo asked it as he approached the cage.

"No, Teepo, I don't think that's a good idea." Chris tried to warn him but the toy paid her no heed.

"Who's a good wyvern!?" Teepo repeated. Finally, it seems like the wyvern got upset and screeched at him, much to the others' shock and Chris' annoyance. Frightened, he turned around and chomped Jude in the face.

"I told you. Keep it up and the wyvern really will eat you." She scolded him as two men and another woman appeared.

"You there, what are you doing? Those wyverns belong to our clan." The man, clearly their leader, said. Milla took one look at the wyvern and immediately knew what she had to do.

"We've come to take them. I'm pondering how to break these cages." She said, much to the shock of her companions.

"Wh-Whoa, Milla!" Leia said in her shock and was only given a look of confusion from the older woman. Jude sighed in exasperation at her bluntness.

"Uh…may we please borrow your wyverns?" He requested.

"You can't be serious!" The other man said. Chris shook her head immediately.

"_Well, I guess this is my cue."_ She thought as she walked up to them.

"Whoa, easy there, boy-o. We ain't here to just steal your wyverns out of the blue." Chris said with her hands raised in surrender. The leader of the three was shocked at the girl's appearance. It's been a while since he's seen her.

"Whoa, Chris? Little Christina? My goodness, you've grown!" He exclaimed in shock.

"Hey, Yurgen." She casually greeted with a small smile and a wave.

"Don't just "hey" me! Do you realize how worried and frantic your aunt was when you ran away?" He angrily asked her. Yurgen knew Christina and her brother, Ethan. He did, after all, watch over their wyverns and he taught them the basics of caring for them. He got to know the twins pretty well since they usually spent their time after school in the pens to see their wyverns.

"I have a pretty good idea." Chris said emotionlessly as she rolled her eyes. With a sigh, Yurgen let go of the previous shock he had.

"Still haven't change, I see. I was hoping Ethan's death would straighten you out. Though, it is kinda terrible that it would take that to do so. So, where have you been?" He asked with a small smile.

"Haha…I'm amused." Chris sarcastically remarked before continuing on. "If you must know, I've been at Fennmont, studying medicine." She responded.

"You two know each other?" Leia asked her.

"Yep. Yurgen here is the guy you'd trust the most to be in charge of the wyvern pens. My father made a special request to the chief of the Kitarl clan to have him watch over our wyverns. You know…when we couldn't keep them in our apartment anymore." She explained to them.

"Your father must be really high up there if he can make requests like that." Jude stated, much to Yurgen's confusion. Did they not know who her father was?

"What are you-"He began but before he can say anymore, Chris promptly gave him a fierce glare that shut him up.

"I'm sorry." He said in an apologetic tone and a small bow of his head. Yurgen forgot himself for a moment there because of his familiarity the girl. It would displease the chief if he heard how disrespectful he was to her. "What is it you need though?" He asked her. Milla and Rowen were puzzled; it baffled them why an adult would be submitting to a 15 year old girl who simply gave him a single glare. Whatever the case, whether due to her father's influence or something else, one thing was certain; Chris definitely had power to wield in Auj Oule.

"We need to borrow some wyverns. Just to get to Fennmont." She responded.

"What for?" He asked her in curiosity. The girl may be a friend, but he can't just hand out a wyvern to her willy-nilly. Much less let them fly without special permission.

"I said we have to get to Fennmont. Look we'll touch down at the Barnauer Highroad, make our way on foot from there and send the wyverns back here. How's that sound? Come on, man. For old times' sake." Chris reasoned with him.

"Yurgen, we're running out of time to find a champion!" The woman with Yurgen reminded him. It got Yurgen thinking. Meanwhile, Milla took another look at the beast and it bowed to her immediately. Even those who haven't seen a wyvern before knew that it's sign of submission to the person.

"What? It submitted to her without the use of Beastcraft!" Yurgen exclaimed before finally settling on a decision. "These people might be our answer."

"Wait, hold on! You can't possibly be thinking of recruiting these fools!" The woman exclaimed. Yurgen nodded in response.

"Alright, I'll cut you a deal, Chris. You and your friends arrived at a crucial time for us. I'm sure you've noticed the crowds in the city." He said.

"Indeed, we did. What's so important about it?" Rowen asked in wonder.

"Once every decade, Xian Du's clans hold a martial artes tournament. That tournament is tomorrow." Yurgen promptly informed them.

"It's tournament time? No wonder Prayer Pennants are everywhere!" Chris exclaimed in surprise.

"You talk as if you've been gone for too long. Unfortunately, our chief is our clan's only fighter. But as of now, he's leagues away in the king's service. We're on the verge of having to forfeit the tournament. This is a desperate time for our proud and ancient clan. And yet, I sense a special power within you. Would you be willing to represent the Kitarl clan as our champion?" Yurgen requested of them. As usual, Yurgen never knew of Chris and Ethan's status as Lilium Twins.

"Heck yeah! Where do I sign up!?" Leia enthusiastically demanded.

"He's asking all of us, Leia." Jude dryly told her.

"Whoa, hold up! The others can sign up but I can't. I'm from a different tribe." Chris reminded him.

"No. We need your strength, Chris. And besides, we have no idea how these tournaments work." Milla said with crossed arms. She had full confidence in Chris' abilities and knew that it would be an asset to them. And they needed to win those wyverns, so they needed all the help they can get.

"What prevents you from joining us, Chris?" Rowen asked her in curiosity.

"Members of different clans can't fight for other clans. It's prohibited. If they see Chris, they might think that she's fighting for her own tribe **(1)**." Yurgen informed them before continuing. "But no worries; wear this and you should be fine."

Yurgen promptly handed her a wyvern mask that covered half her face, leaving only her lower jaw visible.

"This should do." She responded as she took it from his hand.

"If we enter this tournament on your behalf, will you let us borrow these wyverns?" Milla asked them as she put a hand on her hip.

"That's the bargain. But you must do more than just enter. You must win. I'll need to see a demonstration of your abilities beforehand as well." He responded.

"We can do it. Right, Milla?" Leia eagerly asked her.

"Yes. We need those wyverns." The older woman decided. Leia beamed in happiness as she hopped and raised her fist in the air.

"Awesome! I always wanted to be in a real martial artes tournament. I'm stoked!" She declared.

"Yeah, me too. I've always wanted to join a tournament. Too bad, it's not fights to the death anymore." Chris said in mild disappointment. Jude, meanwhile, turned to Yurgen to voice his worries out.

"You're sure it's okay for outsiders like us to participate in the clans' tournament?" He asked.

"That's not a problem?" One of Yurgen's companions answered him. "Some clans have been known to recruit skilled warriors from the outside to boost their prestige."

"Huh…I always thought you guys were sticklers for tradition." A familiar voice said. Much to their surprise; Alvin is back.

"I'm gone five minutes and you got us neck deep in contact sports? I can't take you people anywhere." He added.

"Where you've been little buddy? We were nearly squished!" Teepo complained.

"Sorry about that, spud. I had a feeling you were all in trouble though, so I came running. No harm, no foul, right?" He responded with a shrug and wink.

"'No harm, no foul?' No harm, no – You know what, you're making it so easy to want to punch you again." Chris passively said as she crossed her arms.

"He a friend of yours?" Yurgen asked them.

"That's right. We're a package deal." Alvin answered.

"Good. Then you can show me your combat skills. Come to the aerial arena. I'm sure Christina can show you around." Yurgen said in approval with a small smile.

"Got it." Jude said.

"Yeah…don't call me Christina. Only one person can call me Christina and she's been dead for a decade. Also known as my mother." Chris said as her eye twitched in mild annoyance. Yurgen simply nodded and turned around. All of a sudden, she remembered something.

"Yurgen, wait." She called for him. He turned around with confusion written on his face.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Where are Iris and Maximus?" Chris asked him. She hasn't seen them around and it worried her a bit.

"Who are they?" Elize asked her.

"Iris is my wyvern, Elize. Maximus was Ethan's." She informed the little girl.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about them. We just let them fly off for a bit. They know how to return but if you want to call them, you could." Yurgen said as he pulled a flute out from his inner coat pocket and handed it over to her. The wooden flute was familiar to her.

"Your aunt told me to hold on to that. She had a feeling that when you come back, the first think you'll go to is your wyvern." He said as she gently took the flute away.

"What's the flute for?" Leia asked in curiosity. Chris sighed and recounted her story with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Well, when Ethan and I were kids, when we were Nine to be exact, we kinda had some difficulty in making our wyverns come back to us when they started to fly. Then one day, our dad gave Ethan a flute and when he started playing it, I swear I have never heard such a sweeter melody than what my brother played on this very flute that day. Seems like our wyverns agree with me because they came back almost immediately and we can put them to sleep with it too. Eventually, he taught me the notes to it until I learned it on my own. Though, I wonder if it still works on them."

"Try it. They usually just come back here of their own accord but…who knows…maybe it still does. Anyways, we'll be going. Don't forget to pay your aunt a visit. She worries about you." Yurgen told her before he and his companions walked away. With a great sigh of reluctance, Chris closed her eyes, brought the mouthpiece to her lips and started blowing in it. She was right; if Ethan made the song **(2)**, then it was indeed the sweetest melody that they have ever heard in their lives.

"_Such a lovely tune. Humans have such great potential for great things." _Milla thought as she closed her eyes and savored the music with a calm and serene smile on her face. They all enjoyed the music, not seeing the tears leaking out of Chris' eyes. The tune brought back so many memories of playing in the Royal Hunting Grounds or the Mon Highlands as they let their wyverns fly about. All of a sudden, they heard the beating of wings nearby. Chris opened her eyes and kept playing as they saw two white wyverns flying towards them and perch on the railings of the area just as she finished the song. Chris put the flute back in her inner coat pocket as she gently walked towards the wyverns, who seemed confused at the strange girl who used the tune that their masters used to summon them to their sides.

"Hey, guys." Chris greeted them with a small smile as she gently approached them. She hoped her scent hasn't changed in the past years, otherwise she would really be in trouble with these two wyverns. Both tilted their heads in confusion as she continued approaching. Eventually, she managed to pat their heads and after a while, Iris and Maximus burrowed their heads into her hands.

"You still recognize my scent, huh? I'm glad." She said as she rubbed their heads. They both gave an approving purr at the gesture until eventually, Iris nudged her with her head and proceeded to lick her face, earning a laugh from Chris, much to Jude's shock and surprise.

"Heh…I missed you too, buddy. Both of you." Chris said as she wrapped her arms around their slender necks, all the while laughing and, unbeknownst to her, crying at the same time.

"Chris seems really happy." Elize said in observation.

"Yeah. I'm actually kinda surprised myself." Jude said with a small smile.

"Oh, and why is that?" Rowen asked in confusion. Jude has been with Chris since their first days in Talim Med, after all. Shouldn't he have at least seen her happy? Even just once?

"See that smile over there? This is my first time seeing it." He answered.

"What do you mean?" Milla asked him, equally confused as their elderly companion. Jude turned to her as he answered.

"In all the years I've known Chris, that's the first genuine smile I've ever seen from her."

They all turned their gazes upon the girl. Now that they think about it; this is the first time they've seen a genuine smile from her. And now, even just for now, they hoped that she was also genuinely happy.

* * *

**AN: And that's a wrap. Sorry, folks. Gonna have to cut this one short. It's kinda getting too long. Anyways, here are what the numbers mean.**

**1 – This rule is totally made up for storyline purposes. **

**2 – The tune that Chris plays can be any flute tune that readers want to interpret it as, actually. For example; for me, as I was writing that part, the tune that I was thinking of that she could be playing was the flute parts of the instrumental version of the song **_**"Pastel Pure" **_**by ALI PROJECT, otherwise known as the first opening of the anime, **_**Maria-sama ga Miteru. **_**Whatever the case, it varies depending on how the reader wants to interpret it as. It's free game.**

**Anyways, that's it for today. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Polls are still open for voting. If you don't know what I'm talking about, please refer to Chapter X. Also, please leave your reviews and favorites. They really keep me going. Thank you. See you guys soon!**


	20. Chapter 19: The Ghosts of Chris' Past

**AN: HA! I'M BACK! I'm betting you guys are surprised about the sudden not-so speedy update. Well, I can tell you one thing that things will go back to the way they were before. Sort of. For now, I've put my Strawberry Panic fic "As Time Goes By" on hold. Starting from Chapter XVIII, I intend to update on "As Time Goes By" for every 3 chapters of "ToX: The Lilium Twin", seeing as how this takes precedence over the other fic. So, here in this chapter, you guys will get to meet a new person who is connected to Chris. Anyways, here we are at Chapter XIX of this story and thanks to those who left their reviews and favorites on the previous chapters. I truly appreciate them all. Now, let's get started!**

* * *

**CHAPTER XIX:**

**THE GHOSTS OF CHRIS' PAST**

* * *

After a few minutes of laughter and tears from Chris, she finally sent her wyverns away yet again so they could get some freedom before they're put in their cages and she and her companions left the pens.

"So, Chris, I'm surprised to see you bawling your eyes out when you saw your wyverns. I thought you didn't have an ounce of real emotions left in you." Alvin said, earning a glare from the girl he was talking to.

"Well, excuse you, princess! I do have emotions. I just…don't like showing them." She answered in a defensive manner.

"Oh? And why is that?" Rowen asked her in wonder. Chris looked away for a bit as she crossed her arms before answering.

"It's a mentality that I developed after my brother died; emotions make you weak. Especially fear. You can't protect the people that mean the most to you if you're scared."

"Chris…" Jude began but he had no idea what else to say. He knew that her logic was flawed but he had no idea how to refute it.

"Let's just go." She suggested as she headed downstairs ahead of them. The others followed, observing the scenery all around them.

"I can't believe they seriously keep monsters as pets. Auj Oule sure is weird." Alvin noted.

"Hey, we use these monsters to get by." Chris defended.

"I'd rather have a cute pet. Like a dog or something." Jude cheerfully stated.

"Oh, so you're a dog person? I am too." Rowen declared with delight as he stroked his beard.

"Same here. They're way funner to be around." Leia jovially said.

"Oh, come on. Cat beats dogs any day. You dog types are just emotionally needy." The mercenary said with a smirk.

"Nowadays, it's cat owners who are the needy ones." The elderly gentleman said with disdain. "You put on fake cat ears and cat tails, saying 'meow' after every other word. Absolutely ridiculous."

"I've…never…actually seen someone do that." Chris stated, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"What are you – who does that? True cat lovers admire cats for their independence! What about you, Elize? I bet you're a cat person." He said, hoping to get the apple of their group's eye on his side.

"I always wanted to have a pink rappig." She shyly answered. Well, that backfired. He wasn't expecting that.

"But I thought you were a Teepo person!" Her toy whined out.

"What about you, Chris? What's your fave?" Leia asked the girl.

"Wyverns. But if we're staying in this cat vs. dog battle, I frankly don't give two craps and a rappig's ass. If I want a lazy pet, I'd get a cat. If I want an energetic one, I'd get a dog. Though, for the cat, I'll get one so long as it isn't a jackass." She answered with an epic poker face.

"What's your favorite kind of animal, Milla?" Jude asked her.

"Me? You should know my favorite animal by now. It's you humans, of course!" She declared with delight.

"I…can't refute that." Chris said. Humans are classified as mammals and are, therefore, animals, after all.

* * *

For a while, the party decided to go their separate ways for now to see more of Xian Du. Jude, Chris and Elize decided to stick together for now while Leia, Milla, Alvin and Rowen went off somewhere. They crossed the bridge and all of a sudden, Chris saw a familiar woman by one of the statues where Jude and Elize are headed. The woman had black hair, styled into a short ponytail, much like Chris' hair. There were glasses perched on her beautiful face; a face that showed that she is deep in thought as she examined the statue. She was wearing a fur lined coat that was red in the sleeves and brown in the front and back with a white belt. She was also wearing a brown turtleneck underneath the jacket, thick pants and white boots that reached up to her thighs. Chris knows that that type of fashion could only come from up north. Where her father is.

"_Could it be? What is she doing here?" _Chris thought as she looked on in observation. She perched the plaster made wyvern mask a top of her head, not knowing that Jude has been calling her for the past couple of minutes.

"Chris!" He called for her.

"Yeah?" She asked, snapping out of her reverie.

"Are you alright? Elize wants to check out that statue." Jude informed her as he pointed to the statue where the woman is. Chris was about to voice her disapproval to avoid her but one look at Elize's hopeful eyes changed her mind.

"I…okay. Let's go." She said. They walked ahead of her and she took a few seconds to don her mask before following after them. Finally, they approached the statue and Jude was perplexed at how focused the woman in front of them was.

"Excuse me? Did you drop something, ma'am?" He politely asked her. As usual, Elize was hiding behind him while Chris was standing beside the little girl.

"Hm?" The woman voiced out in confusion as she turned to face them. Chris' breath was caught in her throat and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

"Or are you up to no good?" Teepo asked in suspicion.

"Oh, of course not. I was just researching the man behind this statue, Master Heming." She answered. Okay, so the wyvern mask must be doing its job. Chris was glad that she still hasn't recognized her. Otherwise, this encounter will really get ugly.

"I'm a historian. Or at least, when I'm not teaching. The name's Karla. Karla Outway." She introduced herself.

"Jude Mathis." The young man introduced himself.

"Name's Chris." Chris said with a wave of her hand before falling back into her thinking

"_So, you still teach, huh? Or did you take a break? I guess that's all you have left now after I abandoned you." _Chris woefully thought as she crossed her arms. Tears were begging to be released from her eyes but she held it in this time.

"Teepo. Two e's and one p. Get it right." The toy said. Then they noticed that Elize hasn't introduced herself yet.

"And who might you be?" Karla politely asked her.

"E-Elize. Nice to meet you." The little girl nervously said.

"Hehe…you know, some of the children I teach are right around your age. And how old are you?" She asked with a small smile on her face. The little girl reminded Karla of someone. Someone who was so dear to her.

"Twelve." The little girl answered.

"Twelve, huh? I know, why don't we have a little pop quiz? Think you can pass?" She challenged her as she crossed her arms. Chris immediately felt nervous for her; her Aunt may be as pretty as an angel but she's a bit relentless when it comes to teaching and studies. Which is why she and Ethan always had to have top marks in school. But surely she hassle a complete stranger like Elize, right?

"A quiz? Okay!" Elize enthusiastically responded with a smile.

"There's an arena here in Xian Du where all of the other tribes compete. Do you know who holds the record of the youngest champion ever?" Karla asked her.

"The youngest champion ever? Uh…" Elize nervously said before going quiet to think. Jude, meanwhile, was baffled by this.

"Who gives a quiz right before teaching the lesson? She can't answer if she doesn't-"He trailed off in the middle of his sentence upon realizing something. It could be that Karla was making this easy for her. Chris, meanwhile, was gently tilting Elize's head towards the statue, hoping that she'll get the answer right.

"Oh, wait. Elize, look!" He said as he tilted his head towards the statue. Now, finally, Elize gets what they mean.

"M-Master Heming!" Elize nervously answered.

"Correct! Good Job!" Karla praised her.

"Wah-hah! I'm the quiz master." Teepo cheerfully bragged. Suddenly, Karla looked like she just realized something.

"Oh, dear, I'm afraid I'm running late. I hope to see you soon." She told them before walking away.

"Yeah, you too." Chris said as Karla passed by her. Her gaze followed the woman and saw her enter the inn. Chris sighed as she finally took her mask off.

"_Sorry, Aunt Karla. Maybe later I'll pay you a visit." _She thought to herself as she patted Elize's head with a small smile.

"Hey, shall we go?" Alvin asked as he approached them with Milla, Rowen and Leia trailing behind him.

"Yeah. Sure. Come on." Chris said before taking the lead once again. She led them to the dock that would take them to the coliseum. They hopped on and sat down since the boats were spacious enough to be able to hold seven people. Eight, including the boatman. They slowly but gradually travelled down the river, seeing the other parts of Xian Du along the way. Chris saw something that brought her a lot of memories. She pointed to one of the apartments and spoke up.

"See that? That window over there?" She asked as she pointed to one of the numerous windows in a building that was expertly made on the cliff wall in another part of the city.

"Yes? What about it?" Elize asked as she held on to Teepo and followed the direction Chris was pointing at.

"That was our apartment." She answered. Chris saw a specter of herself once again; her 11 year old self was sitting by the window, reading a book. Then Ethan approaching her with a drink, pleased at how she managed to get through the day without getting into a fight. She gratefully accepted the drink and then their Aunt would join and sit with them, equally pleased as Ethan was that she didn't get into a fight for the day.

"Hey, Chris!" Leia's voice called her, bringing her out of her reminiscence.

"What?" She asked, keeping her face void of emotion.

"Do you want to pay your Aunt a visit later?" Leia asked her, repeating her question as the other girl didn't seem to have heard her.

"Oh, no. I'm good." She answered as she crossed her arms.

"Oh, come on. Why not? I'm sure she'd be glad to see you." The other girl cajoled her. Jude and Milla can see that Chris was getting increasingly agitated by the Leia's suggestion and it probably wouldn't be long 'til she snaps.

"Leia…" Jude hissed at her, but he only earned confusion from her.

"What? It's not like it's such a bad idea." Leia defended as she crossed her arms.

"Just drop it, alright! I don't want to see her right now, okay!" Chris snapped, much to their surprise. Even Chris'. "Sorry." She remorsefully added.

"N-No…it's fine. I should be the sorry one." Leia said as she shook her head. From there, the trip was a quiet one until they got to the coliseum.

"Alright. So, this is the coliseum. A lot of warriors lost their lives here." Chris explained as she helped them out of the boat. After that, they all approached Yurgen and his two other companions.

"Hey, Yurgen." Chris greeted him.

"Hey, Chris. So, let's see what you and your friends are made of. We're going to have you fight some of our clan's monsters." Yurgen informed them before continuing. "Take care. This is strictly practice but, of course, accidents happen. And don't hold back, either."

"Okay then. We're ready." Jude decided, earning nods of approval from the others.

"Follow me, then." Yurgen said before he started walking ahead of them. The others followed and climbed the stairs leading to the coliseum. Eventually, they were led to a long corridor that directly led to the fighting pit. Leia ran ahead of them and stared in awe of the coliseum.

"Oh! Now, this is what I call an arena!" She yelled out as she marveled at the place. Jude approached her immediately to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid.

"Maybe you're a little too into this, Leia." He reprimanded her.

"Oh, come on. Aren't you ready to rumble?" Leia asked him as she shook in excitement.

"I'm not sure I'd put it like that. Your old wounds aren't acting up, are they?" The young man asked in worry.

"Huh? Uh, no. It's fine!" She insisted with determination. "Now that we're doing this, it's going to have to heal whether it likes it or not."

"Yeah, be careful where you rumble, Leia. Notice how the ring doesn't have fences?" Chris asked her. Leia was confused; what was the point of the ring not having fences?

"Yeah, so?" She asked as she crossed her arms.

"One wrong move and it's long, long way to fall and you'll be disqualified." She answered as she scratched her neck. Yurgen approached them to see if they're ready.

"Time to start the test. Are you sure you're ready?" He asked them.

"Yes, go ahead." Milla declared with determination. Yurgen nodded in agreement and the gates opposite them opened up and four Terra Goblins came out. Chris scoffed at the challenge.

"Terra Goblins? Really, Yurgen? I feel insulted." She stated as she pulled out her sword. Surely they have better monsters than these, right?

"I'd keep that arrogance of yours to a minimum if I were you, kid. I heard that you fight the best of the best in these tournaments." Alvin told her as he pulled out his gun.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Alvin, Chris." Rowen said in worry but she just laughed them both off.

"Ain't nobody better than me." She arrogantly declared before she ran up to the goblins with Jude and Milla by her side. Chris ran up to a goblin and swung her sword, barely nicking its face. The goblin jumped back and crouched before pouncing on her, forcing her to the ground. Then it got up and Chris noticed that one of the Goblins were summoning a spell. She immediately grabbed her sword and rolled out of the way just as rocks emerged from the ground. Unbeknownst to her, the same Goblin was about to attack her from behind and she would've been hit were it not for Alvin.

"_Punishing Shot!"_

The Goblin backed off once it was injured by Alvin's arte. He helped the girl up, who immediately stabbed her sword directly in the head of one of the goblins behind Alvin, killing it.

"Thanks." She told Alvin in gratitude.

"Much obliged." He responded. Chris' eyes widened when she saw the arte glyph beneath his feet and immediately pushed him away just as Jude kicked the Goblin towards Milla, who used an arte on it immediately.

"_Bolt Strike!"_

A purple sphere appeared in mid-air and started firing a couple of lightning bolts in random directions. One of them hit the Goblin and killed it. The last two, meanwhile, were being dealt with by Leia, Rowen and Elize. Rowen immediately cast an arte against one of the Goblins.

"_Wind Lance!"_

As he swung his rapier, green blade shaped winds shot out and hit the two goblins. The other goblin recovered quickly and pounced on Elize, forcing her to the ground.

"Elize!" Chris yelled in worry as she ran towards them and jumped as she slashed her sword.

"_Burning Havoc!"_

Flames erupted from her sword and launched the Goblin towards Leia, who swung her staff downwards at the Goblin, sending it to the ground before she used an arte on it.

"_Spiral Strike!"_

Leia spun her staff around, launching the Goblin up in the air as Elize grabbed Teepo's leg and floated towards them as she spun her rod, hitting the Goblin.

"_Teepo Copter!"_

Finally, the Goblin fell unmoving as Jude and Milla dealt with the last one. Both linked their Lilium orbs and used a linked arte against it.

"_Aerial Fire!"_

The goblin plummeted towards the ground and Millla swung her sword in tandem with Chris, who ran in to try to aid them. Their swords cleaved into the goblin, causing a huge cut in both of its sides, finally felling the beast. They all took a while to catch their breaths before finally straightening themselves out and putting their weapons away.

"Oh, man. I'd rub this in my dad's face if I could." Chris said as Yurgen and his companions approached them.

"I was afraid we would have to jump in and rescue you but clearly that wasn't necessary." The man in brown said as he crossed his arms.

"Of course not! We're unbeatable!" Teepo proudly boasted.

"My apologies. I guess I underestimated you." Yurgen said.

"Just me?" Teepo angrily asked as he approached the man.

"Hehe…pretty sure everyone underestimates you." Alvin smugly said with a smile. This, however, caught Elize's ire.

"Hey, don't make fun of my friend!"

"Calm down, Elize. It was a joke." Chris told her with a grin as she patted the little girl on the head. Everyone chuckled at the exchange.

"Tomorrow's tournament will be even more challenging. They used to be fought to the death. It was the only way to determine the ruling clan." Yurgen explained to them, much to their shock. Now they understood what Chris meant earlier by saying that the fights weren't to the death anymore. What they didn't understand was why she was so disappointed.

"Fortunately, things are different now. The current King of Auj Oule outlawed the old practice." He added.

"Sounds like the King's a real prince." Teepo commented, earning an eye roll from Chris.

"Anyway, the real test will be tomorrow. I've gotten you rooms at the inn. Make sure to get a full night's rest." He said.

"Yeah. Thanks, man. We appreciate it." Chris spoke for them as she shook Yurgen's hand. After that, they all left the coliseum and went back to the town itself. They headed to the inn and settled in.

* * *

Later that day, the group decided to go around town and see the sights more. Chris, however, decided to separate from them. When asked, she simply responded that there's something she has to do. She rode an elevator as she wore her mask and walked towards a specific door. Steeling herself, she knocked on it. The door opened and instead of a familiar face, she was met by a stranger.

"Yes? May I help you?" The young, brunette woman asked her.

"Hi, yes, good evening. Does Karla Outway still live here?" She politely asked her.

"Karla Outway? Yes, she does. But she's not staying here. You see; three years ago, Karla went travelling for a while. Since…since her nephew died and her niece ran away. I'm just watching over this place now." The woman answered. Chris sighed as she rubbed her forehead. Great. Not only did she cause her aunt needless worry, she also ruined her life. Why did she have to be so selfish?

"But Karla is in town though. For the tournament. She told me she won't be staying long and that she's staying in the inn." The lady told her. Chris' head snapped up so hard that it was a miracle it didn't snap off.

"I see. Thank you." She said before she ran for the elevator. She took her mask off and pocketed it immediately. Once she got off, she ran as fast as she could, not realizing that she passed by her companions.

"Was that black blur that passed by us just now Chris?" Leia asked Jude in confusion. They all turned around and saw her running for all she was worth. She could give a mare a run for its money.

"Yep." He said as he made a move to follow her. Worried for their friend, they followed Chris, who was just about to cross the river. However, she collided with someone, making her topple to the ground in pain.

"Ow…" She hissed in pain as she stood up. She held her hand out to the man she bumped into to help him up.

"Hey, I'm so-"

Chris abruptly stopped her attempt to apologize when their eyes met. Their gazes at one another immediately turned deadly.

"You." The man muttered as Chris let go of his hand and moved back. It was like seeing a ghost. Well, to her; he was a ghost from her past.

"Chris. Are you okay?" Jude asked as he and Milla ran up to her, the others not too far behind them. However, Chris seemed to be occupied by the man in front of her. Milla took the time to examine the man that Chris bumped into; he had shoulder length brown hair, pale blue eyes and a scarred face. He was tall but not as tall as Alvin and muscular, suggesting that he most likely had some battle prowess to show off. He had a scowl on his face that slowly turned into an amused smirk. It seemed that he and Chris know each other and Milla had to admit that Chris bore a tiny bit of resemblance to him.

"_How odd; their scowls are nearly identical to one another." _She thought in wonder.

"Hey, hey, what's going on?" Leia asked them in worry as she finally stopped beside Milla.

"Well, well, looks like you survived after all." The man mockingly said, never losing his arrogant smirk, as he approached Chris and pulled her jacket's collar down, revealing the scar on the neck. Chris retaliated by roughly shoving him away.

"Whoa…feisty, aren't you, pup? And here I thought you were a sniveling brat who hid behind her brother's back." He mocked her.

"Chris, who's this clown?" Alvin asked her as he scratched his head.

"My-My Uncle."

"What? Your uncle?" Teepo asked her.

"Does that mean-" Elize began.

"Yeah. My mother's brother; Bryce Aktau. And the person who nearly killed me." Chris answered through gritted teeth as she remembered how he grabbed her by the hair and plunged a knife through her throat.

"Did you say Bryce Aktau, Chris? Then that means that your grandfather is the head of the Aktau Tribe, correct?" Rowen asked her and she nodded in response.

"Bah, that mother of yours ceased to be my sister when she married your father." The man spat out with venom as he crossed his arms and looked away.

"Yeah. And that's why it was so easy to plunge a knife down her throat now, was it? That's why it was so easy for you and grandfather to kill her!" She yelled at him as she attempted to attack him but Jude and Milla held her back, for fear of something bad happening to her.

"Hey, how was the near death experience by the way? How-how does it feel to let your brother die in exchange for your life? Ethan saved you and you ran away from your home. Abandoned your family. He must be so disappointed in you right now. But then again, you and your brother were disappointments the moment you were born. Nothing but bastards who have no place in this world."

That was the breaking point. Chris finally broke from Jude and Milla's hold and threw a powerful right hook against the man. Bryce threw another one right back at her. Chris tried to throw an uppercut against him but failed and he punched her face again and grabbed her by the coat and kneed her stomach twice before letting her fall to the ground in pain. If there was something Chris was weak at, it was hand-to-hand combat. Sure, she can throw a mean punch but she wasn't as proficient as Jude was in fighting with her fists. She wheezed in pain as she was curled to the ground. Leia immediately grabbed her and attempted to help her up.

"Stay down, Chris. Let him go." She whispered to the girl, who was bleeding from the nose and lips. There was a nasty bruise forming by her lip and no doubt there would be some in her body too.

"Heh…still weak." Bryce mocked her. And before Leia or any of them can realize it, Chris was taking a dip in the river with Bryce Aktau. The moment they both surfaced, Chris grabbed his shirt and managed to throw numerous punches in his face before he managed to throw a single punch to her face. The reason that she pushed him into the river was because she recalled her mother saying that their uncle was a poor swimmer. And she recalled her father telling her to use an enemy's weakness to their advantage. Chris had to even out the playing field; if she was weak in fighting with her fists, she would have to force her uncle into his weakness; the water. Once she felt another punch to her temple, she threw an uppercut to his chin. And it connected this time. However, before either of them could throw a punch at one another again, Chris felt someone grab her by the jacket and hoist her up to a boat. Looking up, she saw that it was Milla and Alvin, who pulled her up.

"Couldn't even finish the job, kid! Had to have your friends rescue you!" Her uncle yelled at her from another boat that was heading to another dock. They realized that members from the Aktau tribe rescued him because Milla and Alvin had no intentions of putting them on the same boat and therefore, resolved to leave him to swim for shore.

"Mark my words, Uncle; I'll kill you for sure! I'll plunge a knife down you and your father's throats the same way you did to us! Mark my words!" She angrily yelled, much to Jude, Elize and Rowen's shock. While they've seen Chris angry before, this is the first time they've seen her yell threats at someone and actually mean it.

"Whoa, she's really demanding for blood, isn't she?" Leia stated as the three docked the boat. The moment they stepped off, Milla's palm connected with Chris face.

"Do you know how much attention you could be drawing on us right now?" Milla asked her.

"So, what? I'm just supposed to let it slide? After he mocked me and Ethan?" Chris angrily asked her as she wiped her face of the river's water.

"Sometimes walking away is for the best, Chris." Rowen sagely answered for the woman.

"Come on, kid. There are people who just aren't worth it. Let's head back to the inn and clean those wounds off." Alvin said as he scratched his head in frustration.

"Please stop fighting." A meek voice voiced out. Chris looked down and saw that it was Elize who said it as she hid herself behind Teepo. With a sigh, Chris patted her head before taking the little girl's hand and followed after their companions to the inn.

* * *

Later that evening, the group was back in their room at the inn, ready to get some rest for the night. Milla, much to their surprise, actually tucked Elize in bed.

"You scared?" Chris asked the little girl as she sat beside her bed. The blood from her face has been wiped off and the bruises on both her face and body have all but faded thanks to Jude, Leia and Elize's healing artes.

"A little…" Elize shyly answered as she looked down. Chris snickered and lightly pinched her cheek with a smile.

"Wouldn't blame you, kid." She said. It was probably not every day that the kid saw someone she trusted turn into a bloodthirsty demon.

"If I may ask, Chris; why did your Uncle and Grandfather commit such a heinous act against you and your family?" Rowen asked her as he stroked his beard. Chris rubbed her aching scar before she answered.

"I suppose you guys should know. Well, like I said, my father came from a small tribe and mom's family didn't like that little fact. She disobeyed, married him anyway and nine months later, my brother and I popped out."

"I take it that didn't end there." Leia said from her perch on the bed between Elize's and Chris'.

"Oh, sweetie. It never ended. No." Chris said with a sarcastic smile on her face.

"Care to elaborate?" Milla requested as she stood up and crossed her arms. "Well? We're supposed to be a team, aren't we? A team isn't supposed to keep secrets from one another." She added. Sure, Chris has proven her worth more than once. But to Milla, it seems like with each passing day, more skeletons appear in Chris' closet. And that would make her harder to trust.

"You want me to elaborate? Fine. You wanna know what my first memory was? Running. As early as the age of two, we've been on the run. We weren't travelling from place to place just because my mother liked it; that was just an excuse she made so she wouldn't be scared. True, she liked travel. But we were doing it for an entirely different reason. My mother married my father and had Ethan and I but do you really think the Aktau tribe left her alone after that? They didn't." She explained as she rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"What do you mean?" Jude asked her in curiosity.

"I mean, they wanted my mother back and Ethan and I dead. So…our mother protected us the only way she knew how. We ran. Our dad wasn't around that much. He was off gallivanting somewhere when were young so he couldn't protect us from them. I can't even count how many times I've stayed in this inn. Or Hamil. Or Kanbalar. Maybe even Nia Khera but I don't remember that point of my life that well anymore. We never stayed in one place for more than three months but we also never left Auj Oule in case our dad would come for us. That's why I didn't have too much friends when I was young. Even now. Because I was scared I would have to run again."

So that cleared up some of Chris' mysteries. The only mystery they have with her now is who her father is. They all pitied her but still admired how brave she became. No child should have been subjected to what she faced when she was young. Now, it became clear to Jude why she was emotionally stunted sometimes.

"What happened next?" Milla asked her as she sat beside the girl.

"Well, when we were five, we received word from dad that it was safe. We could come home. That he could protect us now. He lied. Because it would only be days later that they would kill our mom. The rest is history." Chris explained as she hid her face behind her palms. She didn't know why she was doing it; probably to hide the tears that were trying to make a break from her eyes. She didn't want them to see her as weak.

"I'm going to turn in. Good night." Chris said as she took a dive for her bed and curled under the blankets as she kicked her boots off. Within seconds, she was asleep, not minding the world around her.

"Poor kid. Must've been hard to have a life like she did." Alvin stated as he sat crossed legged on one of the beds.

"I can hardly imagine." Milla said as she sat on the bed and took the aspyrixis off.

"Makes us lucky that we still have our parents, huh, Jude?" Leia asked her childhood friend, who simply nodded in agreement.

"Though, I do wonder where Chris' father is right now. Why hasn't he tried to find her?" Alvin wondered.

"It could be possible that he already knew of her whereabouts and just didn't make a move to retrieve her." Rowen hypothesized.

"Why wouldn't he?" Jude asked in curiosity.

"He could've done it so she could have a shot at independence but…what do I know? I've never been a father before." Alvin answered for him. Then they noticed Chris fidgeting in her sleep again, her face scrunched up in discomfort as she had a bad dream. Milla immediately put a hand on Chris' forehead, which seized her fidgeting as she finally relaxed, much to the surprise of their companions.

"It's not impossible. Anyway, the tournament is tomorrow. We should get some rest." Milla declared as she lay under the blanket. The others nodded in agreement and turned in as well.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Chris snuck out of the room, not wearing her gloves or her coat. She headed downstairs where the front desk was now deserted. The entire city was asleep and no one was expecting travelers to come in so the inn was now closed. She headed downstairs and grabbed the guest log of the inn from the other side of the counter and opened it. Thankfully, the inn left some little light around for guests who wake up in the middle of the night to go out. She opened it and searched for the name she was looking for. She found it in record time.

"_Perfect. She's right next to our room. Probably heard me pouring my guts out to the others." _Chris thought with a grumble as she closed the book and put it back to where she found it. Then, she headed upstairs yet again and stopped in front of said door before putting the mask on.

"_Alright. Time to face Ghost number two."_ She thought to herself before gently knocking on the door. Slowly, the door opened and revealed Karla Outway in all her glory. Her hair was disheveled, her glasses were nowhere to be found as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and she was wearing a simple tank top and shorts. Well, if there was one thing that Chris could be happy about facing a ghost of her past, it was that she was now taller than said ghost by a couple of inches.

"Yes, can I-oh, you were with Jude and Elize earlier, weren't you?" She asked. Chris simply walked and forced her back to her room as she covered her eyes.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Karla angrily demanded as Chris closed the door behind them. Chris took the mask off before speaking up.

"Have I really been gone that long for you to not recognize me even with a mask?" She asked as she took her hand off from Karla's eyes. Karla was shocked upon hearing the voice again. Earlier she thought the voice was familiar but the girl never spoke again for her to confirm it. When she opened her eyes again, they immediately teared up as she covered her mouth. Then her eyes landed on the girl's neck, where she saw a very familiar scar. In a fit of shock and anger, Karla slapped her before wrapping her arms on the girl's waist.

"Ouch." Chris muttered as she rubbed her cheek. "Hi, Aunt Karla."

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Karla asked her as she cried. Chris wrapped her arms around her aunt and buried her face in her hair.

"I'm sorry. Did you have any idea where I was?" Chris asked her as they separated.

"I did. Your father sent out as many mercenaries as he could. And one of them found you in Fennmont. But your dad didn't want us or me to retrieve you." Karla answered as she cupped the girl's cheek.

"It's fine. It's fine. I made a life for myself there. It was going well until…never mind. How have you been?" Chris asked her in worry.

"I've been fine. What are you doing back here? Don't get me wrong. I'm happy you're back but do you know what will happen if your father finds you here? You know the consequences for those who desert from our tribe. He'll have you dragged to Kanbalar in a heartbeat if he finds you." Karla worriedly reminded her. Chris nodded as she grasped her by the shoulders.

"I'm here for the tournament. There's something my friends and I have to do and it's something I have to risk capture for." She answered and cut her off before Karla could speak again. "I don't have too much time. One of my…friends could wake up and find me gone. So, please hear me out." She requested and Karla simply nodded in response, still reeling from the shock of her reappearance.

"What I have to do is something I have to risk getting caught for. Now there are people after us and I don't want you involved. Also, I'm sure you know that the Aktaus are here for the tournament; I need you to make yourself scarce. I got into a fight with them earlier and I may have unwittingly put you in the radar."

"I know they're here, Chris. And I can take care of myself." She defended as she held Chris' wrists.

"I know you can. But it's better to be cautious. You always taught me that, right?" Chris said with a small smile. Karla chuckled in response as she ruffled the girl's hair. She really has grown up. Ethan would be proud of her if he saw her. But then again; Ethan has always been proud of her.

"Look at you, all grown up. I was expecting you to come back worse the before but I guess I was wrong." Karla teasingly said before she hugged the girl again. Chris' chest rumbled as she chuckled and embraced her dear, sweet Aunt in return.

"Glad I was able to prove you wrong." She said before they separated yet again. "I have to go."

Karla could simply nod in response. She could yell, cry and beg for her to stay. Hell, she can even demand it of her. But she also knew that once Chris' mind was made up; there was no changing it. And so, all she could simply do now is to give her consent. She leaned up and pressed her lips to her darling niece's forehead. The girl she's practically raised as her own daughter.

"I love you, Christina. Do what you have to do…but don't ever forget that someone loves you." She said as she gently caressed the girl's cheek. Tears of joy leaked out of Chris' eyes. For years, she was tortured by the possibility that her Aunt hated her after she ran away and abandoned her. Now, she can finally continue on with what she has to do with the reassurance that she still loved her. And that brought her great relief.

"I love you too, Aunt Karla. Always." She responded before she pulled away and slowly let go of her hand before walking out of the room and heading to her own. Chris sighed in relief upon seeing that the others were still sleeping and wrapped the blanket around Elize and Teepo yet again after seeing it on the floor. Afterwards, she slid into her bed again, relieved at managing to face a ghost that has haunted her for the better part of her life in Rashugal yet frightened of the onslaught of nightmares that Milla can no longer prevent by a touch of her hand as of now.

That night, however, no nightmares came but rather a good night's sleep arrived for her.

* * *

**AN: Alright. Going to have to cut things off here as it was getting too long. This chapter is just a filler chapter before we get to the actual storyline again, which will be in the next chapter. Anyways, that's that. Chris finally managed to see her Aunt Karla yet again and though it was far from a happy reunion, I hope it still warmed your hearts and that you guys managed to enjoy it. Oh yeah, brownie points to those who spot the Tales of Graces reference there. I MIGHT be making a Tales of Berseria reference soon. MIGHT. And that's way too far off from now. And as for the punishment that Karla was talking about earlier, you'll see it soon enough.**

**Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Can't wait to see your reactions to this one. Polls and votings are still open. If you don't know what I'm referring to, please refer to Chapter X of this story and read the AN in the end of the chapter. Please leave your reviews and favorites if this story and chapter is to your liking (really hope it is). Anyways, that's it for Chapter XIX. Again, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next time. Bye! **


	21. Chapter 20: The Tournament

**AN (06/22/15): Woohoo…alright, here we are at Chapter XX. This is going to be the last chapter for a while before I go back to working on my Strawberry Panic fic for a bit. But have no fear, you'll get more updates here than in that one. Well, needless to say, classes have already started again here in the Philippines. I'm now a College Sophomore so this is going to be fun…note the sarcasm. Anyways, I'll be busier with schoolwork from now on so please bear with me if updates are slower than usual. Well, I give my sincere thanks to those who left their reviews in the previous chapters as well as their favorites. I hope you enjoyed them. Anyways, let's move on to Chapter XX of "ToX: The Lilium Twin".**

* * *

**CHAPTER XX:**

**THE TOURNAMENT**

* * *

The next morning, Jude, Milla and their companions, except for Chris, headed downstairs after a full night's rest. When they set foot on the inn's ground floor, they spotted Yurgen and his companions. He turned to them with a small yet cheery smirk on his face.

"You look bright eyed and ready to fight. Good. Where's Chris?" He asked them; worry etched on his face. Could it be possible that Chris backed out? It can't be. It's not in her nature.

"The young lady will be down in a moment." Rowen gently answered. Out of the seven of them, it was always Chris who suffered difficulty in waking up so early due to her sleep deprivation.

"Calm down, guys. I'm here." Another voice said. They saw that it was Chris, heading downstairs as she rubbed the sleep off her eyes and was having a winning battle against the wild beast on her head that is aptly named 'hair'. Why she had to inherit her dad's messy locks instead of her mother's curly yet tame hair, she'll never know…

"I see your hair still looks like a Chirpee's nest." Yurgen teased the girl, who was in the process of putting on her coat after tying her hair.

"Hardy har-har…funny…now say what you came here to say." She said in a tone that clearly showed that she was not amused.

"Fair enough. Today's schedule is packed. Because of the number of participants, the tournament organizers decided to cram all the fights in one day." He gravely explained to them. Chris whistled while the others showed their surprise.

"Well, that's something you don't see every decade." She nonchalantly remarked.

"One day? Sounds rough." Jude said as his mouth hung open in surprise.

"We'll find out how many fights there'll be once today's match-ups are announced. When you hear the bells tolling, come to the arena at once. That heralds the start of the tournament." Yurgen explained to them.

"I guess we have some time to kill. What should we do?" Alvin asked them as he leaned on the stairs.

"I'm going to the plaza. Something's been bothering me." Milla answered him.

"Oh! I'll go with you too. I'll get antsy just standing around here." Leia offered, to which Milla responded with a nod of her head.

"Hmm…maybe I'll tag along too." Alvin answered. It would be a shame to miss the opportunity to spend time with two lovely ladies, after all…

"What should I do?" Jude wondered out loud with closed eyes as he crossed his arms, not noticing that Elize and Teepo were approaching him.

"Hey, Jude. Let's go sightseeing!" The doll requested of him.

"I wanna look around the city too." The little girl followed up. Jude suddenly remembered what Elize said yesterday.

"Oh yeah. You did say this place looked familiar to you." He stated as Rowen approached them.

"I shall escort Miss Elize. Will you accompany us?" Rowen asked him.

"Sure, why not?" Jude responded with a small smile.

"What about you, Chris?" Milla asked the girl, who was simply leaning by the door with her hands in her pockets, seemingly lost in thought until Milla spoke to her.

"Huh? I'm just visiting my wyverns. Figured I'd give them some tender, loving care before I leave again for who knows how long." She answered with a small smile on her face. It was fairly obvious to Milla and Alvin though that she was preoccupied with something else. Much to Chris' fortune, they decided to drop it.

"Don't forget. Race to the arena when you hear the bell." Alvin reminded them. With that, they went their separate ways.

* * *

Later on, Chris was sitting by the wyvern pens, leaning on Iris' body. She released Iris and Maximus from their cages earlier and instead of flying off, the two sat with her. She thought the two just wanted to spend time with their long lost mistress. But then again, it was probably because of the pieces of meat Chris was keeping in her jacket for them. She carefully hand fed them the pieces of meat, all the while playing catch up with them.

"So…I'm about to graduate from Med School. I know. You're probably surprised, since you both grew up seeing me getting in trouble all the time." She said as she tossed a piece of meat towards Maximus. The wyvern caught it with its mouth and bowed its head in appreciation. But then a sad look suddenly fell on Maximus' face. Or at least, as close a sad look that a wyvern can muster. Chris immediately realized what he was thinking and sighed.

"You miss him, don't you?" She asked them, referring to Maximus' deceased master. The two wyverns let out a low whine in response and Chris could do nothing but pat their heads as tenderly as she could.

"I miss him too." Chris told them. They three stayed silent for a while, with Chris occasionally giving the wyverns a piece of meat and gently patting their heads. All of a sudden, the elevator's doors opened and the young girl looked up, surprised at who their sudden guest was.

"I thought I'd find you here." Karla said with a tender smile as she slowly approached them.

"Well…here I am." She responded as Karla sat beside them. Out of habit, Chris immediately laid her head on her shoulder. Karla wrapped an arm around her and stroked her hair like she used to do when Chris was just a child who had a bad day at school.

"What brought you here?" The younger girl asked.

"I wanted to talk to you. What you have to do? Do you really have to do it?" Karla asked her, worry evident in her voice.

"I have to. Look, I know you worry. But I'll be fine." Chris answered her with a smile as they separated.

"Alright. Alright. So long as you come home in one piece. And…I want you to graduate med school by next year." She said with a stern look on her face. Chris smiled and lightly pinched her Aunt's cheek like she used to when she was a child.

"There's that strict teacher face that I miss so much. I'll see what I can do about that." Chris said with a small smile. All of a sudden, the bell rang and Chris immediately stood up.

"I have to go." She declared.

"Go. Be careful. Try to avoid the Aktaus as much as possible." Karla told her as she stood up. Chris hugged her for a second and gave her a kiss on the cheek before she bolted to the elevator and headed down as Karla could do nothing but stare after her.

"Maxwell always guide and protect you, love." She muttered as she patted Iris and Maximus in the head.

* * *

Chris finally made it to the coliseum just in time to see the others with Yurgen. It seems that just as she's always the one who's late in waking up, she's also the one who's late in arriving to gatherings.

"Hey, there she is." Alvin greeted her as she walked up to them.

"Hey." Chris greeted them as she approached Elize.

"Chris, did you know? Yurgen and Isla know each other. They're engaged!" Leia jovially reported to her. Needless to say, Chris was surprised.

"Oh, you're engaged? Congratulations! Don't forget to invite me or…something." She teasingly said with a grin. "But seriously, congratulations, Yurgen." Chris added. Yurgen could only chuckle at their antics.

"Thank you, Chris. Anyways, you arrived just in time. Head to the reception desk when you're ready."

"We're expecting big things from you." Yurgen's female companion said.

"Knock 'em dead." The other one said. They simply responded with a nod before approaching the reception desk. Chris immediately put her wyvern mask on as they were registered and ushered to the dug-out, where they waited their turn.

"So…how exactly does this thing work?" Leia asked in curiosity.

"One way: don't lose." Was Chris' only answer before the announcer spoke.

"_And now our next combatants: the champions of the Kitarl clan!"_

The gates opened and Jude was taken aback at the amount of spectators.

"Look at all the people!" He exclaimed in his surprise.

"You won't be at your best if you're nervous. Relax." Milla sternly told him before she walked out into the arena.

"R-Right." Jude said as they followed after Milla. As they walked out to the arena, the announcer spoke up yet again.

"_They're the only combatants who won't be controlling monsters using beastcraft!"_

Needless to say, the people were no doubt surprised. In the past years, combatants have always used monsters in their fighting.

"Don't be shocked if they're surprised. That's a pretty ballsy move coming from us." Chris stated as she scratched the scar on her neck.

"_Their skills are a complete mystery. This'll either be a short fight or an interesting one!" _

"Um…did he just say monsters?" Leia asked them. Chris could only nod in response.

"_Here come their opponents!"_

Just as he said that, 3 Sylvan crabs came out escorted by a soldier.

"Stay focused everyone." Milla reminded them as they drew their weapons. Immediately, the moved forward to attack.

"_Demon Fang!" _

Chris immediately swung her sword in an upward arc, sending a shockwave on the ground which hit one of the crabs. In retaliation, the crab sent 3 orbs at her, knocking her on her back. Just as she fell down, Leia immediately came to her aid, bringing her staff down numerous times on the crab before jumping back and using her own arte.

"_Soaring Vortex!" _

The crab was launched up the air and Alvin immediately spotted it, shooting it with his own gun. When it finally fell down, it was dead. Chris, who was still reeling in from the effects of having a green orb hit her straight at the chest, was just starting to recover and didn't notice that another crab was coming towards her. Before it can attack her, however, it was sent flying by a strong kick from Jude. Milla, who saw that it was launched towards her, jumped up in the air and used an arte on it.

"_Bolt Strike!"_

A black sphere immediately emerged and several lightning bolts scattered around, hitting both crabs and the soldier commanding them. However, it didn't prove to be effective in taking them down.

"Jude!" Milla called for him. Jude, who was helping a dazed Chris up, immediately ran to her aid. The two immediately executed a linked arte against the weakened Sylvan crab.

"_Flame Sphere!"_

A dome of fire surrounded Jude and Milla, killing one of the crabs and sending the other one and the soldier handling them flying towards Elize, who immediately attacked with Teepo.

"_Teepo Copter!" _

The little girl jumped up and grabbed her doll's leg before they pressed forward as she twirled her rod around, injuring the crab numerous times. When she was done with her aerial onslaught, Elize let go of Teepo's leg and sent her light stars towards the crab, damaging it further. This time, Rowen attacked the creature with his sword, slashing it numerous times before using his own arte.

"_Wind Lance!"_

Green Blades of Wind appeared and propelled towards the monster, greatly weakening it. Alvin and Chris took the chance to attack in tandem, with Alvin using an arte of his own.

"_Sonic Thrust!" _

His attack landed and hit the crab while Chris swung her sword upwards, sending it flying once again, just in time for Leia and Jude to intercept it. Jude brought his leg down while Leia brought her staff on its shell, propelling it to the ground and finally felling the beast. Meanwhile, Chris ran to Milla's aid. The older woman was clearly having a bit of difficulty in defeating the soldier. The soldier swung his club at her, hitting Milla in the side and knocking the air out of her for a bit. Milla, however, immediately used an arte to counter him.

"_Flare Bomb!"_

A fireball exploded on the soldier's chest, knocking him down on the ground. He was immediately able to recover but not in time to notice Chris coming up from behind.

"_Tiger Blade!"_

The young woman swung her sword upwards and brought it down immediately, sending the soldier on his stomach. He swung his club and swept Chris' feet, making her land on the ground. Before he could attack, however, Alvin shot at him to distract him as Elize sent her light stars. Both hit their respective marks just in time for Chris to recover.

"_Ice Storm!"_

Chris brought her dagger down and ice shot up from the ground, hitting the soldier and finally knocking him out. They barely had any time to recover before the next set of enemies came in.

"_And now, it's time for our next match!"_

"Oh man. Again?" Leia complained. Chris could only nod as she put her hands on her knees as she tried to regain her breath. Once they've recovered in what little time they could, they immediately grabbed their weapons yet again and attacked. They dispatched this set of enemies as quick as they could and they tried to do the same with the next one and before they knew, they came out as victors in all three battles. At the end of it all, they were injured, dirty and tired. Jude was forced to one knee, Milla was slumped over, Leia collapsed on the ground with Elize fanning her while Rowen and Alvin stood calmly on the sides, watching them in amusement. Chris, in the meantime, used Ice Storm to summon some ice and was currently holding onto said ice like a child would their favorite stuffed animal in an effort to cool herself down.

"_And there you have it, folks! The Kitarl Champions have fought their way to a place in the finals!" _

"Screw you!" Chris yelled out from the part of the arena where she lay on her back with the ice. Back then, even as a child, everyone knew to not say anything in Chris' presence when she was extremely tired because she was very, very irritable.

Needless to say…they were all ready to take a break now…even Milla.

* * *

After a few minutes of recovering, the group headed out of the arena itself, weary and exhausted, but still energetic enough to talk amongst themselves.

"We did it. We won!" Leia exclaimed in joy. Just as she suspected, even though it was tiring, the thrill of competing in a tournament was still exhilarating. She wonders how her mother would react if she found out? She'd probably beat Leia within an inch of her life for participating in such a dangerous sport…

"It nearly went the other way, though." Jude reminded his childhood friend.

"Come on. That was a cinch. Just ask the resident Lilium Twin over there." Alvin smugly stated as they climbed down the stairs.

"First off, don't refer to me as a Lilium Twin in public. And secondly…I don't know about that. It was actually harder than expected." Chris said as she took her mask off and let it hang from her neck.

"I agree with the young madam. Those matches were quite demanding." Rowen said.

"Our little buddy Alvin's a big fat liar, right Elly?" Teepo said with a smile on his face.

"Yes. It wasn't easy at all." The little girl responded.

"Aw, come on, guys…" The mercenary whined. They all spotted Yurgen and his companions at the foot of the stairs and they rushed over to them, with Milla lingering behind a bit.

"Nice work out there! Those are some fantastic fights!" Yurgen praised them.

"The finals begin after lunch." His female companion informed them. "All the other entrants will be there too. So don't expect cheery company. Anyways, you better grab some food." She added. Then they followed them to the mess hall. Combatants from all the clans of Auj Oule were gathered there as well for lunch. They sat down on one table with Yurgen and quietly observed the place around them. Jude was looking around intently when Alvin spoke up.

"Scouting out our opponents for the finals?" Alvin asked him with a devilish tone in his voice, much to the amusement of their companions.

"Well, yeah, of course." The young man nervously said.

"What if you spy a cute little she-warrior? Someone who's totally your type?" The gruff man added. Chris, who was having a drink of water, promptly choked in an attempt to stifle her laughter. The possibility of that happening was next to none, seeing as he's always fixated on the blonde bombshell sitting across the table from him.

"What? Why would that make a difference? I'm here to fight; not flirt!" He indignantly exclaimed. Alvin could only chuckle at the declaration.

"Calm down, Jud-o boy. It's okay. You're a growing boy; it wouldn't surprise us if someone here caught your eye." Chris said with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows. Jude blushed and turned away from his friend's gaze.

"We've made it to the finals." Yurgen reminded them as he stood up. "To be honest, I wasn't sure you had it in you."

"Your confidence in our abilities is so touching…" Chris sarcastically said.

"Why? We told you we'd win!" Leia cried out. Yurgen chuckled at their remarks.

"Fair enough. Anyway, please, help yourselves. You'll need to have enough energy to make it to the finals." He said as someone brought another bowl of food in. All of a sudden, another of Yurgen's friends came rushing in.

"Yurgen, we have a problem!" He said.

"What is it?" The girl asked as he approached.

"Turns out that rock fall was no accident. They found signs that someone destroyed the cliff intentionally." He reported. Milla immediately realized what was happening.

"What? Don't touch the food!" She ordered them. Chris and Alvin were so close to putting the food in their mouths when she yelled.

"What? Why?" Elize asked her in confusion. Before Milla could answer her, however, they heard clattering sounds and saw that everyone around them had dropped like flies.

"Holy crap." Chris said as they ran towards the other people. She, Jude and Leia immediately started checking pulses but found none.

"They're all dead." She announced. "Wow…who would do such a thing?"

None of them can say anything and all Rowen can do was approach Jude and kneel beside him.

"Do you detect that faint odor? I know of this. Yes, there can be no doubt." He said. "It's meticinia. A poison that dissolves in liquid."

"Are you serious? Why would anyone do this?" Jude questioned him through gritted teeth. All these innocent people…dead…and for what? They were just here for the tournament…

"Do our opponents want to win that badly?" One of Yurgen's companions asked.

"No, it wasn't them." Milla spoke up. They all turned to her and the expression on her face only showed that she just realized something. "Only one group would use such cowardly means." She added. Suddenly, Alvin bolted out of the mess hall.

"Alvin, wait!" Milla called for him as Chris followed him to the threshold.

"Hey, where are you going?" She yelled after him but she got no response from the man.

"What's going on?" Elize asked in a panic. Chris immediately approached her and grasped her shoulders to calm her down.

"Things were going so well. Why is this happening?" Leia asked in confusion. Jude had no answers for them and he could only turn to Milla.

"Milla, do you know something?" He asked her. She turned to him and nodded.

"I do…but this conversation should only be between all of us. Let's return to the inn." She suggested.

"That would be wise. We'll find out what'll happen to the tournaments." Yurgen offered, to which Chris gave him a nod of approval before they left and returned to the inn.

* * *

The group, sans Alvin, convened at the inn, waiting for Milla to spill the beans on what she knows about the massacre.

"Exodus is behind this conspiracy." The older woman spoke up.

"The what?" Chris asked her with a confused look on her face.

"What's that?" Jude asked.

"It's an organization that's been trying to assassinate me for some time." She answered without missing a beat.

"Wait, so you're saying that poison just now…"

"Was likely intended for me. I am truly sorry for those who died instead." She stated in an apologetic manner.

"So…they killed all those people in an attempt to get to you? They're that desperate?" Chris asked in disbelief. As a doctor, she cannot fathom how inhumane this was.

"Goodness. To think they would murder a room full of people indiscriminately just to kill you." Rowen said as he stroked his beard.

"Yes. They've never been very subtle with their measures. But this act was especially heinous." Milla told them.

"That's terrible! Why are they after you?" Leia questioned. Milla turned away with crossed arms before she responded.

"Because I've been destroying their spyrixes. Ever since Exodus first appeared with them twenty years ago."

"That's quite some time ago." The elderly gentleman said.

"Hold on. Does that include the Lance of Kresnik?" Jude asked her. "That weapon uses spyrix. Does that mean Exodus is involved?"

"I suspect the Lance was originally made by Exodus. But I cannot prove it. It's not easy to identify their members. They've blended into the populace." Milla answered once she finally faced them yet again. "Until now, I've only been able to do so when they use spyrix. I can sense spirits dying because of it." She continued.

"_Wait…spirits dying…sounds a lot like what happened in Fennmont a while back when people were getting stood up by spirits. That's gotta be it." _Chris thought to herself as she tried to process all the information that Milla was giving them.

"Wait, what?" Jude asked, unable to hide his surprise. Milla continued on with her explanation.

"Every time a spyrix generates artes, it drives a spirit to their deaths. Humans and spirits have a reciprocal relationship. You borrow their power to live and spirits live off the mana produced by a human's mana lobe. At first glance, spyrix might seem like a dream come true but in actuality, it throws this delicate balance off kilter. As long as spyrix exists, neither humans nor spirits can live in peace."

"I feel like such a fool. This is all news to me." Rowen said as he shook his head.

"Of course, it is. I've been dealing with these matters on my own while ensuring that humans remain unaware." The older woman admitted.

Finally, Chris stood up and spoke, wanting to know if what she suspected was true, even though if she already knew it to be...

"If a spyrix is used in the proximity of a human trying to use spirit artes, would the spirit channeling fail?" She asked as she rubbed her neck.

"Yes, it would. It would also hurt the caster in the process." Milla confirmed for her.

"What are you getting at, Chris?" Leia asked in curiosity.

"The night we met Milla." Was her only answer.

"What do you mean?" The young man asked her.

"The Lance HAD to have been made by Exodus. The night we met Milla, we had a surge of patients who claimed that their spirit channeling failed. And who has the knowledge and resources to make spyrix? It has to be Exodus. I think the real question that begs to be asked here is that how did Nachtigal gain access to spyrix? Or…hell…maybe even how he MADE a spyrix?" She explained to them.

"The young madam has a point." Rowen admitted. All of a sudden, Yurgen entered their room. Leia anxiously approached him immediately.

"How is everyone?" She asked.

"We were the meal's only survivors." He gravely admitted. "Naturally, the finals have been postponed. Don't expect to fight until two days. Possibly longer?"

"They didn't cancel them?" Jude questioned in surprise.

"They can't do that. The tournaments only happen every decade. That would be breaking tradition." Chris informed him as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"The tournament committee had a heated debate over it, but like Chris said, this tournament happens only once a decade. Any sign of Alvin yet?" He asked them.

"Unfortunately, no." Rowen answered him.

"I see. Well, please pass along the news. I'll return once the details are decided." Yurgen said before walking out of the room.

"Don't you think we should forfeit the tournament?" Leia asked them.

"I think so, too." Elize voiced out.

"Probably. Assuming there's still someone LEFT to fight." Chris said.

"You're probably right." Milla responded.

"We're all exhausted. Let's get retire for now and revisit this the next day." Rowen suggested to them.

"Yeah, you're right." Jude said in agreement.

And with that, the group rested up, anxiously waiting for tomorrow to come…

* * *

The next morning, the group was in a full blown panic. Apparently, Milla slipped off before any of them were awake and now they couldn't find her. They had Elize stay behind in the inn while the rest searched all around Xian Du. Finally, Jude returned to the inn and he was met by Elize and Teepo. The little girl simply shook her head before he can ask her anything. Then Leia and Rowen returned, obviously not having better luck than they.

"I learned from one of the staff that she left the building by herself early this morning." Rowen stated as he stroked his beard.

"I doubt she'd do anything dangerous. I mean, not after what she told us yesterday." Leia said.

"I hope she's okay." Elize said as she approached Jude. He turned to her with downcast eyes and nodded.

"Yeah…I'm worried too." He said. Just as he ended his sentence, Chris stumbled in, dripping wet for some reason.

"What happened to you?" Leia asked in confusion.

"Long story, but I will tell you that it involves a cute lady from the Cheagle Tribe, the Item Shop, a mare and the River of Xian Du." She said with a shrug as she took the towel that an inn employee so graciously offered her. "I take it Milla hasn't returned?"

They all nodded their heads in response. The group decided to leave the inn yet again and as they walked, they spotted someone familiar.

"Oh, Isla, good morning." Leia said, catching the female doctor's attention. The woman approached them with a gentle smile on her face.

"Good morning. Chris, I saw you running from a man from the Cheagle Tribe earlier. Someone should've warned you to watch were you were going, huh?" Isla said with a teasing smile on her face.

"What happened earlier?" Leia asked once again.

"Oh, I saw the whole thing myself. Your friend wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and bumped into a lady from the Cheagle tribe. She accidentally groped the poor girl and the girl's brother wasn't amused. She only managed to evade him when she let a random mare loose and she jumped in the river." She explained with an amused smile on her face.

"Hey, it's not like I actually intended to walk up to her and grope her. And what can I say? I'm a sucker for pretty ladies." Chris nonchalantly said with a shrug.

"I think Alvin's rubbing off too much on you, Chris." Jude bluntly said.

"Oh, I heard about your close call yesterday. You people sure are lucky." She said.

"Yes…but all those other people weren't." Jude glumly stated.

"O-Of course. What a terrible thing for me to say. Forgive me." Isla stuttered. Plucking up her courage, Elize approached the woman.

"Excuse me, have you seen Milla?" She shyly asked. With a gentle smile, Isla approached her and bent down to her level.

"Well, this is the first time we've really spoken, isn't it? She's not with you?"

"She seems to have run off by herself." Leia informed her.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Isla asked the little girl. She could only give off a hum of confusion.

"Are you perhaps acquainted with Miss Elize here?" The elderly gentleman asked her. They noticed how Isla's eyes suddenly widened.

"Elize?" She asked before recoiling as if something burned her, much to their confusion. "N-No. I don't know her."

Huh…if that ain't a lie, then they don't know what is…

"I have an errand I need to run. I'll see you later." She said before running off.

"What was that about?" Leia asked in confusion.

"Hmm…hate to say it, but Yurgen's fiancée seems to have skeletons in her closet." Chris stated as she put her hands on her hips. Jude simply hummed in agreement.

"Anyhow, we should get back to searching for Milla. If Exodus catches her alone, it could be trouble." The young nurse said, worry lacing her tone.

"Hey, Milla's not like you. She's a tough cookie. It's not Milla who's holding us back!" Teepo said as he and Elize turned to her. Well…that was downright rude.

"Teepo!" Chris scolded the doll.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leia asked, obviously offended by the remark.

"Come on, quit playing around. Let's get back to the search." Jude scolded them.

"Eh…right…" She said in agreement. And so, they went on their way and crossed the bridge where they saw two familiar faces.

"Milla!" Jude called for her as they approached.

"Oh, there you are." She said like she hasn't done anything wrong.

"Where have you been? We were worried sick!" He informed her with a hint of anger and worry in his voice. To be honest, Milla was taken aback by this new side of Jude.

"Sorry about that." She said but Jude wasn't done.

"You too, Alvin. Next time you storm off, tell us where you're going first."

"Simmer down, kid. Besides, looks like Elize wants to say something." Alvin calmly said with crossed arms as he leaned on the bridge's railing. Chris heaved a sigh before approaching the little girl and kneeling on one knee before her.

"What is it, Elize?" She gently asked her.

"Umm…I think Isla might know something about me." She answered. Milla's brow furrowed in confusion as she approached.

"Why do you say that?" She asked.

"She took one long look at Elize and went pale as a ghost." Jude responded.

"Then bolted out of the conversation like a bat out of the Underworld." Chris added.

"I see." Was the older woman's only response.

"If we spot Isla, we'll ask her what she knows. We won't let her get away this time, okay?" Leia assured her.

"Okay." Elize answered. Suddenly, the bells tolled, signaling the start of the tournament.

"What the hell? I thought the fights have been postponed." Chris questioned on one in particular.

"Hey, shouldn't you folks be hightailing it to the arena?" A woman asked them.

"The tournament's going to start up soon." A little girl added.

"Hey, we can't be late for our own tournament!" Teepo whined.

"We'll be disqualified if we don't make it back in time." Leia reminded them.

"Is that really so bad? Weren't you thinking of forfeiting?" Milla asked them.

"A wise woman once told me that hesitation is a common human failing. We must keep moving forward, even if the path is uncertain." Rowen said with a smile on his face.

"Ah, I suppose so. Thank you." She said with a small smile on her face. There was something that bothered Jude though.

"How did you know we were tournament fighters?" He asked the woman and the child.

"Why else would you be here? Outsiders are either combatants or spectators when it's tournament time." She answered before walking away.

"That's just common sense around here." The child said before waving away and leaving as well.

"Why'd you ask them that?" Elize asked in curiosity.

"Sorry. Something just clicked in my head." Was his only response. "Let's head to the arena."

And head off to the arena they did.

* * *

When they arrived at the coliseum, they approached Yurgen immediately.

"We heard the bell. What's going on?" Milla asked him.

"Oh, thank the spirits you came! The tournament committee suddenly voted to hold the finals." He answered, relief apparent in his voice.

"And they've decided to revert to the late king's rules." Yurgen's male companion added. Chris shook her head in disbelief.

"No…not the late king's rules." She muttered. She may have talked big about it but when it comes to the possibility of one of them, her friends, falling victim to the rule, it terrified her to no end.

"The late king's rules. You don't mean-"Leia began.

"I'm afraid I do. A fight to the death." He finished. "I didn't mention it before but the old rules also mandate that fights be one-on-one."

"What'll we do?" Jude asked Milla.

"Hmm…well, we need those wyverns so forfeiting is not an option. But this is very peculiar."

"Why would they revert to an older set of rules?" Rowen questioned.

"Wake up and smell the poisoned coffee, kids." Alvin spoke up. "It's pretty obvious this is a plot by Exodus, the people trying to snuff you out."

"Are you sure?" Jude asked him. Chris found something peculiar in his statement. Luckily, she wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Hold on. How do you know about those meanies?" Teepo questioned.

"Is it okay for you to say this?" Milla asked him. Alvin turned around before speaking up as he rubbed his head.

"My way of thanking you."

"What are you talking about?" The young man asked.

"No way." Chris said after finally realizing what they were talking about.

"Alvin is working for Exodus." Milla informed them without missing a beat.

"What? You're kidding me, right?" Leia asked him.

"I wish I was. They've been having me do odd jobs for them." He sheepishly said.

"Don't tell me the poison was-"Jude began, disbelief seeping in his voice.

"That wasn't me! I almost choked down some of that stuff too, you know. I don't know who was behind it, either." The mercenary defensively said. "I worked for them sure. But it was always small-fry stuff."

"Just tell me one thing. Can you promise us you'll never work for them again?" Jude requested.

"Yes. You have my word." He answered.

"What are you; a naive five year old? You can't make him promise that? And even if he does, what makes you think he'll keep it?" Chris asked them. If her trust levels of Alvin were low back then, it just took a plummet into the abyss now.

"Then we'll just have to see what happens." Milla answered her.

"Yeah. And I'll tell you the most likely scenario that'll happen; sooner or later, we're going to have gunshot wounds on our backs and stab wounds on our chests." The young woman said before walking up to the receptionist's desk. To say that Chris has trust issues was an understatement. The group finished their conversation without her but she was within earshot and heard Milla's plans. It seemed dangerous but it has a higher possibility of working. Finally, it was time for them to battle once again but before Chris could follow the others, she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"What?" She asked Alvin.

"Come on, kid. I know I kept secrets but I don't think your earlier comments were necessary. Is it too much to ask that you trust me again?" Alvin requested with a not-so serious tone in his voice. She could only scoff before speaking up.

"Don't flatter yourself, I barely trusted you since day one. I don't give my trust like a piece of candy on the Harvest Festival of Hamil. Especially to guys who so conveniently wound up in the docks when we were about to be arrested. Though now that I think about it; I doubt that was a coincidence."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alvin asked her.

"You were ordered to make contact with us. If not by Exodus, then someone else entirely. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now for the others' sake, but try to cross us, I guarantee you I can make you disappear with a snap of my fingers. By my hands or someone else's; I can guarantee you that nobody will find any trace of you. Not even for a harpy to pick on. It'll be like the man named Alvin never existed at all. Got that?"

"Got it." He said, unfazed by her threats.

"Good. Now let's go." She said before she walked on ahead of him. He stayed behind for a couple of seconds and heaved a sigh.

"Man, Princess has major issues…"

* * *

"_First up in the ring: the Kitarl Clan champion!"_

The cheers of the people were deafening as Milla calmly sauntered out into the open. It was clear that the spectators were eager for blood to be spilled. The others were canvassing the bleachers for any Exodus members.

"_Tragedy nearly put an end to the tournament yesterday. But cooler heads prevailed with the tournament committee, so today, the finals will go on! To ensure that everything will be conducted fairly, we will fall back on precedent and follow the late king's rules!" _

"'Cause that makes a load of sense." Alvin muttered. Meanwhile, as Elize searched, she spotted Isla on the upper row. Again, the female doctor held a shocked look on her face before retreating.

"Uh, wait a minute!" She said before giving chase to Isla. As Milla's fight commenced, her opponent fired his weapon and as she dodged, she realized what it was. It also caught the attention of the others.

"Whoa…" Was Chris' only reaction as she saw what happened.

"What? He didn't channel that!" Jude said in shock.

"And with that kind of power…could it be?" Rowen questioned.

"A spyrix!" Leia yelled out.

Elize, meanwhile, was still searching for Isla. As she ran, she bumped into someone. Looking up, she saw a young man and a young woman with yellow ribbons on their biceps. The man was looking at her with a malicious grin on his face and Elize was scared.

"I can hear the spirits' cries. We're too late again." Milla said to herself. She heard a familiar yell as soon as she finished her sentence.

"No, stop! Give him back!" Elize yelled as she tightly held onto Teepo. The man was pulling him away from her while the woman was holding her back.

"No! Stop it! Let me go!" Teepo protested.

"Give up the doll, sweetheart!" The man said as he managed to wrestle Teepo from her grasp and pushed Elize back. Then, he and his companion left. Immediately, the little girl followed after them.

"Elize!" Leia called for her as Alvin and Chris approached her. "Someone kidnapped Teepo. Elize just went after them!" Leia yelled towards Milla. Before she could respond, two more people with spyrixes came out and attacked her, sending beam after beam after, which Milla managed to perfectly dodge.

"That's a violation!" Chris yelled out.

"What happened to just one-on-one?" Leia asked before they ran off.

"Alvin!" Milla called for him.

"They weren't after you! The target must've been Teepo all along! There weren't any snipers in the stands either! I didn't know! I swear!" He desperately yelled at her.

"Then it's up to you to save her!" She told him.

"What? Do you mean-you're testing my loyalty?" Alvin asked her.

"I'm counting on you to do this!" Was her only response. He gritted his teeth before speaking up again.

"Just my rotten luck. Don't blame me if this all goes south!"

And with that, Alvin ran off to chase after Elize.

"Chris, go with him!" Milla ordered the younger girl.

"What?" She asked with an incredulous look on her face.

"Keep an eye on him. And make sure Elize is unharmed!" She said. That was the hook, line and sinker for Chris.

"Alright! Follow after us when you can. And stay alive!" Chris said before running off in pursuit of Alvin and Elize.

* * *

**AN (08/24/15): AND THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE! Woohoo! I live! Hey guys. I know it's been awhile. I started this chapter like 2 months ago in June and now it's August and I just finished it. Well, sad to say, college got in the way. The moment school started, projects and presentations were dumped on us, I was incredibly miserable in my school (because I totally loathe the place) and my course (because I totally loathe most of my Professors) and because of the stress, I was left with the energy levels of a cancer patient and actually got sick numerous times. It left me with little to no time to write and apologize profusely to those who were expecting this chapter. But now, midterms are over and my workload is lightening so I should be able to update more often now. **

**Anyways, thanks to those who left their reviews, favorites and follows to this story. Really appreciate it. As always, the polls are still open. If you don't know what it's about, please refer to Chapter X of this story. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. If you have questions, PM me or leave it in the reviews and I will do my best to answer them. Thanks to those who read this story and Thank you for the patience you've shown in waiting for this chapter. Peace out, homies! Firework out! **


	22. Chapter 21: In Pursuit of Elize

**AN: Hey, everyone! So here we are with Chapter XXI of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Anyways, I would like once again apologize to those who were kept waiting for the previous chapter; I apologize that it took me so long to post it. Also, thanks to those who left their reviews, favorites and their follows to this story; really appreciate it. I hope you guys enjoyed the previous chapter as well as this chapter. **

**Also, shout-out to KingRPG and congratulations to this awesome author for finishing their story "A Different Path"! You and your story are one of my biggest inspirations for writing in this archive. Good luck on your future endeavors. Again, Kudos and Congratulations to you!**

**Now, let's begin! **

* * *

**CHAPTER XXI:**

**IN PURSUIT OF ELIZE**

* * *

Chris ran out of the arena and hopped on a boat in the docks. Alvin and Elize were leagues away from her and if she wanted to catch up with them, she's gonna have to give chase non-stop.

"Take me to the city. Fast." She ordered the boy manning the boat. He nodded and took her there as fast as he could. By the time Chris got there, she spotted Elize running towards the Hunting Grounds while Alvin was just crossing the bridge.

"Why are they going to the Hunting Grounds?" She muttered to herself. Then it hit her where the Exodus members where going; when they were children, she and Ethan were always told by their father not to venture beyond the Hunting Grounds while playing because whatever is beyond that was very dangerous. That has to be where they're going. Immediately, Chris jumped off the boat and ran off just as Alvin entered the Royal Hunting Grounds. Just as she was crossing the bridge, she spotted her Uncle Bryce and he spotted her. He made a move to intercept her and before he could so much as utter one word, she threw a right hook as she ran; clocking him straight to the face and (much to her surprise) knocking him out.

"_Well…that felt good." _She thought to herself as she kept on running. Eventually, she entered the Grounds and saw that Alvin and Elize were nowhere to be found.

"Alvin! Elize!" She called out for them. No response. She knew that if she wanted to catch up to them she would have no time to fight the monsters crawling around the place. She'd have to avoid them as much as possible. Immediately, she started to jog. Light enough so the monsters can't detect her. When a Prism Beak caught sight of her, she swung her sword as hard as she could and decapitated it before moving on to the next area. Like before, she sneaked around as much as she could. At least, she did until she ran into two Harpies.

"Oh no…" She muttered to herself as one tried to move to attack her. Chris noticed that there was a boulder right behind her; something she can use to her advantage since she sucked at fighting airborne monsters without any help. When the Harpy got close to her, she jumped out of the way, making it barrel its head into the rock. Immediately, Chris recovered and swung her sword at one of its wings, injuring it. Blood gushed out of the wound as the beast shrieked and before it can attack, Chris used an arte on it.

"_Tempest Strike!" _

Copious amounts of blood streamed from the corpse of the Harpy as it fell lifeless. The other Harpy, meanwhile, was furious and shrieked; bringing Chris' attention to it yet again. Immediately the girl ran for higher ground but before she can even grab hold of a vine, the Harpy pinned its talons to her shoulders, levitating her several meters from the ground before it dropped her and pinned her there. Her sword was a few inches away from her. In a surge of adrenaline, Chris grabbed the Harpy's foot from behind her and threw it to the ground before standing up and diving for her sword. The Harpy made another attempt to attack but Chris turned just in time to thrust her sword to its chest, straight to the heart. It wailed before finally going limp and Chris pulled her sword away from it. She felt some pain in her shoulders and felt blood oozing out of it and she immediately used a healing arte.

"_Healer."_

Warmth flowed through her body as she felt her wounds close. Once she was recovered enough, she began her trek through the Hunting Grounds again. As she trekked through the area, narrowly avoiding monsters the way, she noticed that her surroundings gradually became somewhat barren. And slowly, the sight amazed her. It was like something hit what was once a cliff or a mountain and created this crater. It probably stayed as a crater until humans started carving along the place. There were doors and pathways and bridges and it looked like the place was recently abandoned, recently meaning from five years to a decade ago. This was the place that their father warned them about; the one that they were told never to go to. She was always curious about it, but when they played in the Hunting Grounds, Ethan always watched her like a hawk to make sure she never ventured beyond where they were. Though she caught no sight of Alvin and Elize, she was certain they were here. After all, where else were they going to go? It wasn't like there were too many paths to deviate from.

"Elize! Alvin! Teepo! Where are you guys? Respond if you can hear me!" She yelled out. Again, she got no response. Sighing in exasperation, Chris ventured on, checking every room she comes across for any sight of the two but unfortunately, she had no such luck. The monsters and Exodus members were easy to deal with; just a simple dodge here, a couple of fireballs there and a few artes to nudge them off to lower ground to their deaths. Just as she was about to enter one room, she heard a gunshot emanate from within. Immediately, she opened the door and just as she caught a brief glimpse of Alvin and a frightened Elize, something collided with her body and made her fall to the ground. Out of reflex, Chris suddenly grabbed the woman by the foot and threw her back into the middle of the room. The woman swept her off her foot before kicking her in the face. It was then that Chris noticed she was protecting something in her hand. She tackled the assailant and wrestled the object out of her hand. Then, the assailant noticed something out of the corner of her eye; a blueprint. Hopefully, it's contents were the same as what was in the doll. She slowly inched towards it while Chris was distracted with tending to Alvin and thank her lucky stars that it was indeed what she was looking for. She bolted out of the room immediately.

"Chris! Go after that one! We need to interrogate her!" Alvin weakly said to her as loud as he could. Noticing that the woman was escaping, Chris obeyed his demand and went after the woman after pocketing the object she managed to retrieve.

"Hey, get back here!" She yelled after the person as she climbed a ledge. Just as Chris caught up to her, she pushed a pile of rocks towards the girl. Chris noticed this too late and wasn't able to dodge in time and the result was her left leg being buried beneath the pile.

"Ow! Damn it!" She yelled out as she grabbed her sword. She twisted her body as much as she could and inserted her sword in between the rocks with every intention of using it as a lever to get her out of there.

"Oh, who am I kidding? I can't do this by myself. Alvin! Anyone!" She yelled out. The adrenaline she was feeling earlier suddenly wore off and she suddenly felt so damn tired that as she struggled to get herself out of the rocks, everything gradually darkened for her…

* * *

When Jude and the others entered the room where Alvin and Elize were, he noticed how beaten up Alvin was; his face had bruises in them and his lip was bleeding, not to mention he was clutching his side so he may have broken a rib as well.

"Alvin! Hang in there, Alvin!" Jude called for him.

"Heh…the gang's all here. I thought this was all up to me." He teasingly said.

"I'll heal you right away." He said before using a healing arte on the mercenary.

"Alvin, where's Chris?" Rowen asked in a worried manner.

"Ugh…I sent her to go after the other Exodus member. She hasn't been back since." He croaked out. Immediately, Rowen and Milla ran out the door and went around. Sure enough, they found an unconscious Chris on the ground with one of her legs pinned to the rocks.

"Chris, wake up." Milla said as she kneeled beside the girl and shook her awake. Chris groaned and lifted her head up.

"Hey, Rowen, Milla. How's the haps?" She asked with a groan. Her leg was killing her.

"Just fine, my lady. Now, can you move?" Rowen politely asked her. Chris was able to lift her upper body before being weighed down by her leg.

"Yep. But my leg; if I try to pull it out, these rocks could collapse on us." She told them.

"Worry not, Chris. I shall use an Earth arte to keep it stable until we're in the clear." Rowen informed her. "Lady Milla, if perhaps you could be as kind as to assist Chris in freeing her leg."

"Of course." Milla responded. Chris grabbed her sword and embedded it in between two rocks and Milla did the same with hers. Together, they levered the rocks and Rowen cast the arte. Chris was able to scramble away with Milla and Rowen to safety before the rocks collapsed after Rowen released his arte's hold on the rocks. Chris used _Healer _on her leg to ease the pain in it.

"Are you alright?" Milla asked her.

"Leg's a little beaten up. But I'll be fine." She said as she could feel the arte work its magic on her injury.

"We should head back and see how the others are doing." Rowen suggested. With a nod, they entered the compound once again. The moment they walked in, Elize ran into Milla's arms and cried into her stomach. Teepo lay on the ground, seemingly deactivated. It struck them as odd; Elize never deactivates Teepo unless it's bedtime.

"What should I do?" Elize asked in between sobs.

"What's wrong? You appear to be unhurt." Milla said in confusion as she cradled Elize's head.

"And look, Teepo's here too." Leia said as she picked the toy up. "Glad you're okay."

"Hey! Let's play! But first, give me a name!" Teepo said. Everyone's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Was Teepo playing a trick on them or something?

"Hey, let's play! But first, give me a name!"

It has to be a trick…a joke…right?

"What's going on?" Milla asked in confusion.

"Hey, let's play! But first, give me a name!"

Nope…definitely not a trick. Something was totally wrong with Teepo. Chris suddenly started to hypothesize in her head; was Teepo never sentient all this time? She wagered that whatever it was they pulled out of Teepo, whatever it was she was currently keeping in her pocket, had something to do with this. There was only one way to find out.

"One of the Exodus agents ripped something out of Teepo. And that's all he's been saying since. It's why I had Chris chase after the woman. But we know how that ended." Alvin said from his spot on the floor.

"So, he really was just a machine all along? A toy." Jude sheepishly said as he looked at the ground. Chris had half a mind to punch him in the face. Did he not see that saying that in front of Elize would hurt her? It was clear that the girl saw Teepo as more than a toy.

"A toy?" Elize asked as she sniffled.

"Yeah. A stuffed animal designed to move and talk by itself." He clarified.

"Damn it, Jude." Chris muttered beneath her breath beside him.

"H-He wasn't a toy. He was my friend." The girl insisted.

"Alvin, what happened to the Exodus agents?" Milla asked him.

"I killed one of them. And as you know, the other gave me and Chris the slip." He answered.

"Good work." Milla said as she somewhat roughly shoved Elize away from her, much to the shock of the girl. Chris immediately moved to take her place and grasped her by the shoulders. They all watched as Milla stepped on the cube, not far from them.

"What about Teepo?" Elize asked.

"If we can get back whatever they pulled out of him, maybe Teepo will go back to normal." Jude hypothesized as he took Teepo from Leia.

"When did the Exodus agent leave?" Milla asked the mercenary.

"Ages ago." Was his only answer.

"Then the trail is cold. Trying to retrieve whatever they took would be a waste of time. We need to get moving."

"But couldn't we do both? Can't you help?" Elize asked in a hopeful manner.

"If you wish to search for Exodus, I won't stop you. But that means we'll have to part ways." Milla bluntly told her. Chris rubbed her face in frustration with the older woman; for all the books she's read, apparently she's never heard of the rule "don't bluntly tell a 12 year old you refuse to help them". Everyone knew that trying to find the agent would be pointless, but Chris just wished that Milla could've let Elize down in a gentler way. Elize, meanwhile, couldn't say anything and simply looked down in sadness.

"Very well. Let's get back to the city." Rowen suggested. Reluctantly, that's what they did. They traversed the Hollow, entering one room after another, climbing ledges and battling monsters as they went. Eventually, they entered one room and came out on the other side. The moment they did, however, trouble met them. Since Chris was taking point, the moment she stepped out of the room, she was forced to the ground by something she didn't see immediately and felt something bite into her arm and claw at her leg.

"Elize, get back!" Jude warned the little girl.

"Ah! Help! What the hell?" Chris yelled out in pain as she felt it bite her leg.

"Heel, you dogs! Heel!" A deep, gruff and familiar voice yelled out. The wolves released Chris and Leia ran to her aid immediately.

"Oh…I swear those dogs hate me." She complained as Leia cast a healing arte on her. She felt the warmth of the arte flow through her body as they closed the wounds. It struck Chris as odd; usually, Ethan would be healing her right away but recently, he's been a bit unresponsive. Like he's keeping his interferences down to a minimum. Suddenly, the ground shook as Jiao jumped down in front of them.

"I apologize if my pets frightened you. I had to sic them on some poachers." He said.

"Yeah, well, tell them I'm not a poacher." Chris said as Leia helped her up.

"Jiao?"

"Huh? What brings you lot here?" He asked, as if he just recognized them. Then he turned to Elize and sighed.

"I see you've returned to this place, child. You remember it, do you?" He said. Wait, what? Has Elize been here before?

"What's he talking about?" Jude asked her.

"Don't force yourself, Elize." Chris said in an attempt to relieve some pressure on the girl.

"This is the lab where the little lady was raised." Alvin answered for the girl.

"The laboratory has been abandoned some time, ever since we had that intruder." The giant explained to them.

"I take it that intruder was you, Alvin." Milla speculated as she turned to the man in question.

"Women's intuition, huh? I was investigation the boosters they were making here." He answered as he crossed his arms.

"What? So it was you." Jiao exclaimed in surprise.

"What's a booster?" Jude asked in confusion.

"A gadget developed by Auj Oule to ramp up the mana generated by the mana lobe." Alvin responded before continuing. "Elize is actually holding one right now: Teepo. The spud's apparently a third generation booster."

"So…you're just a gadget, Teepo?" The little girl asked as she turned the doll towards her. It broke their hearts, it really did. Well, maybe not Milla's. Since she doesn't understand shit about emotions.

"You have named me Teepo! Pleased to meet you." The toy responded.

"A booster reads the mind of its owner and speaks aloud his or her thoughts." Jiao explained to them.

"So…all this time, Teepo was just saying what's on Elize's mind?" Jude questioned. So Chris' hypothesis was true. Teepo was never sentient all along. He was just a manifestation of Elize's deepest thoughts, voicing out the things she would never have the courage to say for herself.

"That's not true! Teepo was talking on his own!" Elize insisted before turning to her floating companion. "Teepo…you might be a machine. But you're still my friend, right?"

"Nope. I'm just a machine, Elize." The toy insisted. Ouch.

"No! You're my friend!" She yelled at him.

"Nope. You are mistaken. I'm just a device that verbalizes your thoughts" Teepo said. Double ouch.

"Elize, I'm sorry." Jude told her. Suddenly, Teepo flew towards Jiao.

"Tell us, big guy…where are lonely little Elize's mommy and daddy?" He asked. That certainly piqued their interests.

"They…they are no longer with us." Jiao answered.

"What?" Elize exclaimed in surprise. She had hoped that somehow someday, she'd find her parents again.

"When you were just four years old, your parents were attacked by a bandit and murdered." He responded with a tone of sadness.

"I'll never see them again. Not mother. Not father. Not even Teepo." She depressingly said. Leia approached her in an attempt to comfort her and spoke up.

"I know how hard this must-"

"You still have your parents and friends!" Elize yelled at her, much to their surprise.

"As if these people could really understand how you feel." Teepo said, as if he was mocking them or Elize. Finally, Elize ran off with Teepo beside her.

"Elize, wait!" The young nurse called before chasing after her.

"Damn it!" Chris yelled before running off. But before she got too far off, however, she stopped in her tracks.

"She's the girl, isn't she? The one you told me and Ethan about." She asked him, not even turning to look at the tall man.

"She is. Your father requests that you see him as soon as you can." Jiao informed her. Finally, Chris turned to look at him.

"Tell him I'll see him when I see him. Maybe not today, but I'm certain our paths will cross soon enough. Tell him that. That's an order." She said with a straight look on her face.

"As you wish…my lady." Jiao said with a small bow of his head. That brought more confusion to the others; Chris can clearly order someone much older, much experienced than her in combat and she can still expect them to follow her. Just who is Chris? And who is her father?

"Don't call me that. That's the farthest thing I am right now. Just tell him what I said." Chris said with a scoff as she slowly inched backwards before finally turning around and running off, leaving the others with Jiao as she gave chase to Leia and Elize.

* * *

Meanwhile, the woman who had assaulted the group earlier snuck around Xian Du and managed to leave the city undetected. She was at the Lakutam Highroad when her contact approached her.

"Well, do you have it?" He asked.

"Not exactly. No. But I have something that comes close." She said as she gave him the blueprints on Booster Technology. The man smiled and nodded.

"Yes. This will do. We no longer need the memory data. You're dismissed." He said. The woman nodded before walking away. The man walked in the opposite direction, eager to return to Rashugal to keep his cover intact once again.

* * *

**AN: I apologize for the short length of this chapter. I am a very busy College student, now that Finals is approaching. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave your reviews, favorites and follows if you liked this chapter or this story as a whole. Polls are still open. Again, if you guys don't know what I'm talking about, please refer to Chapter X of this story. **

**And again, congratulations to KingRPG! Stay awesome, man! Good luck.**

**Firework out! Thanks!**

* * *

**03/18/17 Edit: Hey, y'all. So after a long while of debating, I finally decided to edit this chapter. As you guys noticed, Chris retrieved the memory data but didn't return Teepo's memory core to Elize immediately. There's a reason for that and it was to confirm Chris' suspicions about Teepo. More edits on Chapter 22. Stay tuned for the update on the next chapter. **

**Firework out, y'all!**


	23. Chapter 22: Snow Covered Journey

**AN (09/14/15): Hello, everybody, GroundZeroFirework here! I would just like to take the time to say thanks to everyone who left their reviews, favorites and follows. I hope you guys enjoyed the previews chapters of this story and this story in general. Now, without any further ado, let's get on with this story.**

* * *

**CHAPTER XXII:**

**SNOW COVERED JOURNEY**

* * *

As the group walked back to Xian Du, Milla noticed how Chris kept glancing at Elize. Odd. She knew that Chris was overprotective of the girl; but not enough for her to be looking at her every fifteen seconds.

"Is something the matter, Chris?" She asked the girl as they walked.

"Huh? No…it's just…unsettling." The girl responded.

"What do you mean?" Milla asked her. Chris sighed before answering.

"She's being too quiet. It's worrying me."

"Elize is a strong girl. She'll get over it." The older woman tried to assure her, only to be met by a scoff in return.

"You know what, Milla? That's the problem. She's just a girl. You can't expect her to be strong all the time. She grew up alone and frightened that it amazes me how she's been doing it. I suppose you can owe that to Teepo but now that Teepo is now just a toy, she may not be as strong as she once was."

"So, you're saying we should coddle Elize, then?" Milla asked her as she stopped in her tracks and crossed her arms.

"No. I'm not saying we should coddle her. I'm saying…take it easy on her. She's had enough for one day." Chris sighed before she continued to walk. With a sigh, Milla followed after her.

* * *

As they entered Xian Du once again through the Royal Hunting Grounds, a familiar person greeted them yet again.

"I heard you followed the bad guys into the Hunting Grounds. I was worried." Isla said as she stopped in front of them.

"Well, it was an eventful manhunt, but we made it back in one piece." Leia responded as she swayed in her spot.

"I'm so sorry you all got dragged into this. What a horrible coincidence." She said. One would think that she actually was worried. Maybe she is…but Jude pieced everything together a while back.

"Isla, you can drop the act." He said as he approached her.

"W-What do you mean? I really was worried about you. Why would I lie about that?" She asked in confusion.

"Jude, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying it was no coincidence that we met Isla." Jude firmly answered as he stared at the woman in front of him with a passive look on his face. "Remember what those locals told us when the bell rang for the finals? At tournament time, all outsiders are either combatants or spectators."

When he said that, Isla looked shocked. She never would've guessed that Jude could piece everything together.

"Right…I recall what she said when she came to help us."

So did the rest of them; Isla ASKED them what brought them to Xian Du in the first place.

"No one here would need to ask that. Not at tournament time. Had Chris realized the moment we arrived here that it was tournament time, she would've suspected something about Isla immediately. But she didn't know because it was her first time seeing Xian Du during the Tournament. You were ordered to make contact with us. By Exodus." Jude accused her.

"Isla, that's not true, is it?" Leia asked her in a hopeful manner.

"They said you'd never find out. They promised." She muttered, as if to herself rather than to the others.

"You were an idiot, then." Chris said as she crossed her arms.

"But…I had no choice in the matter." Isla retorted.

"They blackmailed you, didn't they? They know your secret." The young man deduced.

"Your former…occupation." Rowen said simply, as if that answered everything.

"They asked, 'Wouldn't it be a shame if Yurgen found out?'" She said before continuing on. "What happened to the girl breaks my heart, but I had no choice back then, either."

Isla could remember that day like it happened yesterday; she found Elize crying by herself in the road. With a smile, she lured the girl and sold her to the Labari Institute. Back then, she used to think it was justified; Elize never would've survived on her own in the wilds of Auj Oule.

"Please, don't tell Yurgen!" She begged as she fell on her knees.

"He doesn't know?" Milla asked in confusion.

"How could I tell him? He's a good man!" She countered as her voice started cracking and tears sprang from her eyes.

"But it's all in the past, isn't it? Your fiancé should know these things." The older woman responded as she looked down at her.

"You're a woman. How could you not understand this? I'm damaged goods. If he found out about my past, he'd leave me. I finally found happiness with Yurgen. For once in my life. Please…don't tell him…please." Isla begged them. They all pitied Isla; for being in such a situation. And while she pitied the woman, Chris was left conflicted by this. On one hand, she would rather Yurgen didn't know. It's not something he needed to know about or hear about from her. On the other hand, she felt compelled to tell him. Yurgen looked out for her and Ethan when they were kids and she didn't want to lie to him about this. Not to mention that before getting married, she believed that the couples should have no secrets between one another. Oh, whatever; if she can't tell Yurgen, guess she'd just have to egg Isla into doing it herself.

"You don't trust him, do you?" Chris asked her, but that only earned her a look of confusion from Isla and everyone else.

"If you love and trust Yurgen like you say you do, you'd tell him yourself. Tell him and don't force my hand, Isla. Yurgen deserves better than that." She threatened the woman. Neither said anything more after that and Milla spoke up again.

"I doubt I'll ever understand human love. It has so many rules and conditions. What should we do, Elize? You decide."

"Me? Why do I have to?" The little girl asked, seemingly frightened by the situation.

"This woman's actions affected you far more than us." Was Milla's simple answer.

"There's nothing I can do to make it up to you. But please forgive me." Isla begged her from the ground. It was pretty odd to see an adult beg a twelve year old for forgiveness. What was way odder than anything else, however, were Elize's next words.

"I just don't care anymore." She said before walking off to the side and simply looked at the river.

"Elize is all alone now, no matter what you do." Teepo belted out before following after her. Isla, meanwhile, finally stopped her tears and stood up before walking away from them, her steps shaky.

"We better find Yurgen. We need to talk to him about the wyverns." Leia suggested before she and Elize led the way, with Chris and Rowen following after them. Jude, Milla and Alvin went with them not long after.

* * *

After a while, the group decided to leave locating Yurgen as tomorrow's problem since Chris' leg was hurting again. The group was resting in their room and Elize was being sulky and keeping to herself in her bed.

"Still not talking?" She asked Jude and he shook his head. With a sigh, she stood up and sat on the opposite side of Elize's bed before she forced the girl to face her. Elize was looking at her with sad eyes as she took Teepo from her arms. She turned the toy off andpopped open the only opening in Teepo's body as the others watched her curiosly. Then, Chris pulled out the object in her pocket; Teepo's memory data.

"Chris…you had it all along?" Alvin asked and she nodded.

"Why didn't you give it back?" Elize asked her. Chris looked down in shame before speaking up.

"I-I'm sorry. When Teepo started talking the way he did, I had to find out if my suspicions were true. That he wasn't sentient all along." She sadly said as she slid the data into him. When she turned him on yet again, he sprung up and floated around.

"Wa-hey, buddies! How's it going?" He asked them.

"Teepo! You're back! They said that everything you've been saying were my thoughts all along! That's not true, right?" She asked him. All of a sudden, the toy looked sad.

"I'm sorry, Elize. They were telling the truth. Everything I say is just you all along." He responded. Elize shook her head in denial.

"No. No. Why is he still like this? You put what they took back!" She asked as she turned to Chris. It broke their hearts even more to see her like this. With no way, Chris had to tell her the truth.

"Because they're still your thoughts, Elize. Even if you deny it on the outside, he's saying everything that you know to be true deep inside you. And the truth is whatever he says are just manifestations of your thoughts."

Unable to accept Chris' words, Elize let the tears flow freely and the older girl can only hold her in her arms until she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Chris was heading downstairs from their room in the inn while the others waited for Yurgen outside. Yesterday, however, she saw Milla take off the Aspyrixis and the relief that followed afterwards. Once the others were properly rested, they left the room. As she was heading down the stairs, she saw Jude, Milla and Rowen talking to a familiar face. Instead of going down to greet them, she stayed by the stairs. She sat by the stairs and wrapped her arms around her knees and eavesdropped on them.

"Sorry I wasn't able to speak with you earlier. I'm Karla Outway. It's lovely to meet you." She greeted them.

"I'm Milla."

"Rowen. A pleasure to meet you." The elderly gentleman greeted with a small bow.

"Karla's a historian and a teacher."

"That's very admirable of you." Milla said in praise.

"Not at all. And how about you? You won the tournament, right? That makes Elize one of the youngest winners ever."

"Really?" Jude asked in surprise.

"Remember what I told you about Master Heming? He won his first tournament when he was fourteen. And until Elize showed up, his record was never officially broken." She explained to them with a small smile on her face.

"And what about unofficially?" Rowen asked her as he stroked his beard.

"An astute question. Unofficially, the youngest person to win the tournament did so at twelve, the same age as Elize. He was a young boy who fought his way to the final match alone, without even using a Lilium Orb." Karla responded.

"Are you sure he wasn't a spirit?" Was Milla's question. It was quite a feat to win such a tournament at such a young age without the aid of a Lilium Orb. And if the boy wasn't a spirit and he was that powerful, that would be grounds for Milla to bless his offspring, should they be twins, the status of Lilium Twins.

"No, no. Of course not. His name was Erston Outway." Karla replied. She could still remember that event clear as day even though it happened twenty years ago.

"Erston…Outway? Are you two related?" Jude asked her in curiosity.

"My brother. This happened twenty years ago."

Upstairs, meanwhile, Chris sat by the staircase, dumbfounded by this new information she was learning. For one thing, she never knew that her dad won the tournament at the age of twelve; without a Lilium Orb, mind you. The other was that it just dawned on her that she never really knew what her father's real name was. Or maybe she remembered it once upon a time but the years of estrangement simply erased it from her mind. She'd probably forget his name the next day with everything that's going on. Whatever the case, it just showed how she really never knew her father in the first place. Maybe if she was four or seven years old, this would've made her sad. But now…she just felt apathetic about it.

'No use crying over spilled milk.' She thought to herself as she continued listening in on the conversation.

"But why wasn't his victory officially recognized?" Rowen asked her. Karla's expression turned into a sullen one as she looked down on the floor.

"Our father was the chief of the Outway tribe. But we were a small tribe and the other tribes used their influence to change things as they see fit. That's just how it was back then." She answered.

"So, you're saying his win was taken away?" The young man asked her.

"Yes, it was his opponent's doing. He belonged to a tribe that was very close to the king."

"Twenty years ago. That would take place before the Dawn of Auj Oule. Before the current King took the throne, the chiefs of several large tribes ruled alongside his predecessor." Rowen informed them.

"Many people were killed back then but our current King put a stop to that." The young teacher said.

"I see…"

"Anyway, I have an errand to run. See you all again soon!" Karla jovially said to them before she left the inn.

"Imagine having a hard-fought victory erased like that. I wonder how Karla's brother felt." Jude said as Chris sauntered up to them with her hands in her jacket's pockets.

"I used to be quite the martial artist myself. I defended my position as the army's second strongest fighter throughout my military career. If it were me who was robbed like that, I'd have hunted down my opponent and thrashed him again when no one was looking." Rowen said with a gentle demeanor as if it was no big deal.

"R-Rowen, you play pretty dirty…" Jude stuttered out in surprise.

"Hey, you don't win wars by playing nice, Jud-o boy." Chris blurted out.

"So what would you do in that situation?" Milla asked.

"I would've asked him why he did that then when I get my answer, I would've thrashed him and paraded his broken body in the streets to set an example and send a message out that says not to mess with me." Chris nonchalantly said. At this point, Jude wasn't sure if he was going to be surprised or not.

"Me? I can't even imagine…" He said as he pondered. Milla and Rowen left the inn ahead of them and before Chris could walk outside, Jude grasped her arm.

"Chris, I was just wondering…" He trailed off.

"Yea?" Chris lazily asked him.

"I was just wondering if you'd know where we could get a Heart Herb around these parts. It's Milla. Her legs are hurting again and a Heart Herb can-"

"Can relieve her pain when used in aromatherapy, I know. I had pharmacology with you, Jude. I know how a Heart Herb works." She said as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah, sorry. Anyway, Alvin said they're bordering on extinction and I was wondering since you know the area more than we do, you might know where Heart Herbs grow." He sheepishly said as he held onto his left arm and shifted his weight into one leg, signifying his bashfulness at the request.

"You're right. I do know where Heart Herbs grow. And since I am such a good person, you sit tight here or wander around the city and I will find us a Heart Herb. Just be sure that Milla is back here by the time I get back." Chris said as she slowly inched away. Eventually, she turned around and bolted out of the inn.

"Uh…Thanks?" Jude said with a bewildered expression on his face before leaving the inn.

* * *

Chris walked out of the subterranean passage and was immediately met by a cold blast of air. The ground was covered in a blanket of snow and more of them fell from the sky due to the area's spirit clime. The Mon Highlands was such a sight to see. Chris pulled out a beanie from her back pocket and draped it on her head before she started her search for the plant that Jude required.

'He's so lucky I'm in a generous mood today.' Chris thought to herself as she walked around. She doesn't exactly have a problem with the cold per se; she was a veteran when it comes to cold weather since she played here a lot back then. What she does have is an aversion to this particular place. This was where Ethan died after all. She didn't even have to search far for the Herb; she found three of them in one tree. Only thing was, she had a problem with that particular tree. Hesitantly, she approached and carefully plucked the three Heart Herbs from its trunk. Just as she picked the last one up, she saw something. Something she hoped she would never see again.

"Hey, Chris." A soft voice called for her. The girl whirled around with her sword drawn, only to see Leia with her hands up in surrender.

"Whoa. Chill out! It's just me!" She said in shock. Chris sheathed her sword again as she breathed a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing here?" Chris asked her. Leia sheepishly looked at the ground as she answered.

"I was walking around the city and I saw you going through the subterranean passage. So I followed you. Sorry."

"I-It's fine. I was just doing Jude a favor and gathering Heart Herbs for him." Chris said as she waved her hand in dismissal of Leia's apology.

"Oh, you found them! That's great! Now, we can relieve Milla's pain." She excitedly said but her excitement was washed off when she noticed Chris place her glove covered left hand on the tree, holding a somber look on her face as she did so.

"Chris? What's wrong?" Leia worriedly asked. When she let her hand slide down the trunk, Leia realized that there was dried blood on the tree. The blood was a handprint…only smaller in size and it suddenly dawned on her whose handprint it was. It must've taken a copious amount of blood for that handprint to not fade away after three years.

"That was yours, wasn't it? This is where Ethan died." Leia speculated. Her suspicions were confirmed when Chris nodded her head in response.

"Like I said…we were just kids playing around here. No weapons in hand to defend ourselves." She said before turning around and started walking away.

"Come on. Let's get these herbs to Jude; otherwise he'll be worried and antsy about Milla concealing the pain in her legs again."

Leia found herself unable to say anything and simply followed after the girl.

* * *

When Chris and Leia returned to the inn, they were immediately met by Jude. He looked to Chris expectantly and she showed him the three Heart Herbs in her hands.

"That's perfect. Milla's upstairs with the others. Let's see if it works." He said before he led them upstairs. They entered the room and saw Alvin, Rowen and Elize standing by the bed Milla sat on. The aspyrixis was lying on the nightstand beside her.

"I've become much more used to the aspyrixis now." She stated.

"But I'm assuming it still hurts." Jude said.

"That's what I've gotten used to." She responded with a calm tone.

"Hey, Jude was so worried about you that he asked Chris to get you a Heart Herb." Leia informed her.

"What's that?" Milla asked in confusion. Was a Heart Herb something you put in food? Isn't that what Herbs are mostly used for? If so, was a Heart Herb delicious?

"It's an extremely rare herb with potent healing abilities. When used in aromatherapy, its effects are second to none." Rowen explained to her.

"You both went through all that trouble for me?" Milla asked them in astonishment.

"It was nothing. Besides, Chris was the one who got them for you." Jude said. Chris saw this as an opportunity to get Jude some points with Milla. Being the opportunist that she was, she took it. And besides, what kind of friend would she be if she didn't play wingwoman for him once?

"I have nothing to do with this. It was all honors student here. I wouldn't have thought about it myself if it wasn't for Jude's suggestion." Chris said as she put the crushed up Heart Herbs in an aroma lamp.

"I see. Then allow me to thank you, Jude." Milla said. Chris smirked upon seeing the visible blush on Jude's face.

"I-It was nothing." He said as he looked at the ground. "Anyway, let's try it out."

With a nod of agreement, Chris put a small candle under the aroma lamp and sat on the bed in front of Milla. After a while, the aroma of the herb started to waft around the room and everyone was starting to feel the effects of the aromatherapy.

"Mmm…that smells amazing." Alvin said as he crossed his arms.

"I feel so much calmer." Leia stated with a small smile.

"How is it? Are you feeling any better?" Jude asked her, hoping that the Heart Herb worked its magic on Milla.

"Yes, I can feel the tension melting awa-_hic!_"

They were all surprised by what just happened to Milla. Can the Lord of Spirits even get hiccups?

"Hmm…_hic! _I can't stop hiccupping…_hic!" _Milla said in shock. She has never once experienced a hiccup in her twenty years as a human.

"Oh no! You caught my acute hiccup disorder?" Leia asked in worry.

"I kinda doubt that. She's probably just allergic to the Heart Herb aroma." Alvin clarified for them.

"If it was an allergy, shouldn't she be sneezing?" The young woman asked. That got them all thinking.

"Perhaps this is some sort of unique aspect of Milla's anatomy." Rowen speculated as he stroked his beard.

"I'm sorry. I'll put it out right away." Jude frantically said.

"_Hic! _Haha…this is fun!" Milla exclaimed before hiccupping yet again. "I've never had-_hic! _Hiccups like this before. It makes me forget-_hic! _All about my pain-_hic! _Thank you, everyone. _Hic!"_

"N-No problem." Jude said.

"So…uh…what now?" Leia asked.

"As long as Milla's happy, I'd say we can move right along." Alvin said with a smirk. Jude simply nodded in agreement. So long as it'll help Milla or make her happy, he'll gladly do it.

"Indeed. After all, there is no better medicine than laughter." Rowen sagely said.

"Haha…exactly! _Hic!"_

They all relaxed for a moment with the aid of the Heart Herb's aroma. That is…until Leia remembered something.

"Where's Chris?"

As if in response, a snore interrupted the silence. They turned their heads to the bed nearby and they saw Chris sprawled on it, sleeping. One of her legs were hanging off the bed, her right arm was stretched out while the other was lying on her stomach. And she was still wearing her beanie. Jude remembered that Heart Herbs have a funny side effect with Chris. She passes out from it every time someone lit one up. After everyone discovered that a Heart Herb's aroma relaxes her enough to make her pass out, it became a recurring prank amongst them that someone would light up a Heart Herb during the class. It was a miracle she even passed, considering she had no notes and never even bothered to borrow any. Unfortunately, that only brought on the wrath of their peers on Chris. Seeing this familiar sight, Jude could only say one thing…

"And that is how Chris almost failed Pharmacology."

* * *

It took two hours before Chris woke up and even then, she was extremely groggy and could barely speak. They decided to leave for Kanbalar, regardless of her condition. They left the inn and headed by the bridge. Yurgen went ahead of them to Kanbalar a few minutes ago.

"So, Chris, how do we get to Kanbalar?" Rowen asked the girl.

"Huh? Oh, we…uh…go thr-through that…thing over there." She groggily answered as she rubbed her eyes. They turned around and saw that she was referring to the passage behind them.

"What's wrong with her?" Milla asked, half-confused and half-amused by Chris' antics. Jude leaned over to whisper the answer to her.

"Apparently, when Chris inhales the aroma of a Heart Herb, it affects her the same way heavy sedatives would a person **(1)**. There are some people that are affected by a Heart Herb aroma the same way Chris is being affected by it now and there are some that aren't. She'll be back to normal in a few minutes."

"Alright. Let's head out then." Alvin declared.

"O-Okay, let's go!" Chris said with uncharacteristic enthusiasm as she headed the opposite direction. Leia immediately ran after her and spun her around before sending Chris off in the direction of the passage. They started walking and entered it. The others were amazed by the structure of the cave and wondered how it was made. Eventually, they emerged to the other side of the cave and were immediately met with a gust of cold air. Chris sobered up immediately upon stepping foot in the Mon Highlands. They kept walking the snowy path, making their way to the next area and having the occasional tussle with monsters and bandits here and there. The others complained about the cold and talked about various things as they travelled.

"I'm cold." Elize said for the nth time as she clutched her arms close to her. Chris sighed and rolled her eyes before shedding her jacket and kneeling in front of the girl. She slipped Elize's arms through the sleeves and closed the jacket. She pulled her beanie from her back pocket and perched it atop Elize's head. Chris completed it by giving the girl her gloves as well.

"Better?" She asked, the cold barely bothering her at all.

"Better. But…what about you?" Elize asked in worry. Chris smiled as she patted the girl's head.

"I'll be fine, kid." She answered as she stood up. She noticed that the boy's followed her example as well. Jude gave Milla his jacket and Alvin gave Leia his. Chris politely declined Rowen's offer to give her his coat, knowing that the elderly man needed it more than she did. Not that she thought of Rowen frail but she was just more used to the cold than he could possibly ever was.

"Alright. Now that we're settled, let's get a move on." Alvin declared. With a nod of approval from the others, they continued on with their travels.

* * *

**SKIT: Cold-proof (Chris, Milla and Alvin)**

**Chris: **Come on, guys, pick up the pace. The sooner we get out of the cold the better.

**Alvin: *surprised* **Hey, hold up. It's kinda hard to move in the cold you know.

**Milla: *tiredly* **I agree. I feel like my legs and muscles are freezing. ***tilts head* **Aren't you cold?

**Chris: *amused* **Huh? Me? Cold? Ha! That's funny, Milla! ***smugly* **In case you didn't realize; I. Am. Cold-proof.

**Milla: *confused***I fail to see what's funny about my previous statement.

**Chris: **Well, I told you guys before that I spent some time in Kanbalar, didn't I? The place is snow and ice twenty-four-seven. Not to mention that Ethan and I used to play here all the time.

**Alvin: *exasperated* **Didn't you ever play in a normal setting? Like a park?

**Chris: *smugly* **THIS is my park! The Royal Hunting Grounds was my park. Everywhere in Auj Oule is my park. Except other people's houses. I have boundaries.

**Milla: **It must be nice to not feel cold.

**Chris: *smiles* **Oh, absolutely. I can take the shirt off my back and roll around the snow and not be bothered by the cold.

**Milla: *surprised* **I would love to see that.

**Chris: *grabs back of her shirt* **Okay, then!

**Alvin: *panics* **Whoa there! Hold your horses! We should be getting a move on. Sooner the better, right?

**Milla: **I'm sorry. You are correct. Let's move.

**Chris: *whispers* **Party-pooper.

* * *

As they entered another area of the Mon Highlands, fighting monsters and bandits here and there, Rowen decided to ask Chris one question.

"So, Chris, are you excited to see Kanbalar again after so many years?"

Chris, who was handling the cold very, _very, _well turned to him after he posed a question. To be honest, she looked very conflicted.

"I…don't know, actually. Part of me wants to see how the town is and if it has changed the past few years but…a part of me also wants to not go. Because…I just get this…gut feeling in me. That says if I go to Kanbalar now, I'll see my dad. And I really do not want that. So, all in all, I really can't say."

Before Rowen can say anything else, something suddenly rammed into them, sending Chris flying towards Jude and knocking them both into the ground.

"Why is it always me?" Chris asked with a pained groan as she tried to recover from the blow. Sitting up they saw that a snow dragon has landed and decided to swing its tail into Chris. They looked to the side and saw Rowen was knocked out cold, with Leia and Elize taking care of him. Chris pulled her sword out and ran up to the dragon, targeting one of its hind legs and slashing her sword. Luckily, she managed to draw blood. The dragon turned towards her and made a move to attack her but thankfully, Jude came to the rescue.

"_Aqua Sweep!"_

When Jude's attack hit one of its legs, the snow dragon bellowed in anger. Alvin immediately shot at it before slashing his sword upward, bringing it downward and then using an arte.

"_Demon Fang!" _

The dragon swiped its claws at Alvin, knocking him to the ground with a gash on his arm. Before it can attack him again, Milla intervened by slashing it in the face and following it up with an arte.

"_Arrivederci!"_

A green ring appeared below the Dragon and hit its body.

"Jude! Distract it!" Chris yelled at the young man. Jude nodded before running in front of the dragon and catching its attention. When its head was low enough, he brought his elbow down on its head then gave it an uppercut. He gave it a kick to the side of its head as well.

"_Swallow Dance!"_

Just as his arte landed, Chris prepped her arte up.

"_Tempest Strike!" _

Chris' arte hit the dragon in its wings and she landed on its back. She took advantage of the fact that it was sufficiently weakened enough for it to be lying on the ground and ran for the head. Just as it was getting up, Chris jumped as high as she could and stabbed the dragon in the head. It thrashed for a couple of moments before finally lying still on its side as blood pooled on the ground beneath them. Chris pulled her sword out before they ran over to Leia, Elize and Rowen.

"How is he?" Milla asked with a hint of worry on her tone. At that moment, Rowen chose to open his eyes.

"Ugh…dear me, what happened? I seem to have lost consciousness for a bit there." He said as he rubbed his head.

"Yeah. You kinda did. Are you alright?" Jude asked him.

"Yes. I'm quite alright. Thank you for your concern." The elderly gentleman said as Alvin and Leia helped him up.

"Well, now that we're all alright, shall we get a move on? Before any more aggressive monsters come to get us?" Chris suggested. The others agreed and they continued walking again.

"Not that much farther now. I can see the Castle already." The girl said as they trudged up the snow. Thankfully, she was right. Up north they can see a looming building ahead. For the others, this was a relief because it meant Kanbalar was near. But for Chris; it was just one more thing she doesn't want to face.

* * *

The group approached a large open gate and entered it. Leia and Milla returned the men's coats to them as they entered. They walked along a cobbled path and they stopped to look around the city of Kanbalar. The apartments were lit up and merchants were peddling their wares. It seems like an ordinary place.

"Wow…and I thought Xian Du was an odd burg. Look at this place." Jude said in amazement.

"Yep. Welcome to my other hometown of Kanbalar." Chris said as she crossed her arms.

"The spirit faith is stronger here in Auj Oule than it is in Rashugal." Alvin said before Leia ran ahead of them.

"Whoa, check those out!" She said with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"That's something you won't see anywhere else in the world. That's Kanbalar's famous mountain slidecars." Yurgen said as he approached them. "Remember that Chris? You and Ethan would usually ride it again and again and again."

Chris could only give a wistful smile and a nod.

"What are they?" The young nurse asked for clarification.

"Kanbalar was built along the peaks of a mountain range. Those slidecars connect the multiple districts together." Rowen said to them.

"Keep riding them to the top, you'll eventually land at the Castle." Chris added. Leia turned to Elize and saw that she was still being quiet and a bit sullen.

"Don't they look fun? I bet we could see forever in one of those." She said to the girl. But Elize only gave her what could be described as an angry glare before turning her head away. Leia and Milla were confused about her attitude but the older woman ignored it and turned to Yurgen instead.

"How do we go about meeting the King?" She asked.

"I'll request a royal audience for you when I seek permission to use the wyverns. Don't get your hopes up, though. Many people come to the capital seeking an audience, so you may need to wait a bit. I suggest resting at the inn until I get back." He responded before walking away. The others nodded and made their way to the inn. Suddenly, Yurgen turned to them yet again.

"Chris, don't you want to meet your father?" Yurgen asked her as Jude spoke to Milla on the side.

"Screw that." She responded without so much as sparing him a glance as she walked to the inn. The group got themselves rooms and convalesced there while waiting for Yurgen. Hours passed and it gave them ample amount of time to eat and rest.

"Yurgen still isn't back?" Leia asked as she turned to her side.

"Not yet." Jude simply responded without looking up from the book he was reading.

"Elize, wanna do some sightseeing?" She asked the little girl, who was seated on the ground. Elize responded with an angry grunt and she turned her head away with a sour expression on her face.

"Miss Elize, why not join Leia?"

"Come on, Elize. Gosh, now that Teepo's giving us the silent treatment sometimes, I guess I have to pick up the slack." Leia jokingly said.

"I wouldn't keep that up if I were you." Chris advised the young nurse as she laid on one of the beds with her hands behind her head. Elize was irritated enough as it is, so talking to her would only irritate her more.

"You, talk more than before? Impossible." Jude cheekily said. Leia stuck her tongue out to him in response.

"How mature of you, Leia." Chris said.

"Hey, just because Teepo's gotten quiet doesn't mean you have to be. I'd love to hear more about you, Elize. In your own words." The young nurse gently said.

"Shut up, Leia. You're the one holding us all back, after all." Teepo said. To say that they were all surprised was an understatement. Milla and Rowen stood up, Jude looked up from his book, Alvin raised his head up and Chris downright bolted upwards from her spot on the bed. If they hadn't known that Teepo was just the manifestation of Elize's thoughts then they would've thought it was just the toy being obnoxious again but that wasn't the case.

"Elize, that was uncalled for. You should apologize." Milla said as she approached the girl.

"You must've really crossed the line if Mama Milla's scolding you." Alvin said as he sat up from his position on his bed.

"I hate Milla! And Chris and Leia too!" Elize said before she ran out of the room.

"Hey, where are you going?" Alvin asked.

"Get back here, Elize!" Chris uncharacteristically yelled after her. If Milla scolded her and Chris was yelling at her, Elize must have REALLY crossed the line.

"Ouch. That stung a little. Not gonna lie." Leia sheepishly said as she rubbed the back of her head. They could all tell that it stung A LOT for her.

"Please do not let it get to you." Rowen asked of her.

"Oh. I'm fine. We need to get Elize back." Leia answered. With a nod of agreement, they all exited the inn.

"Excuse me, did you see a little girl with a doll pass by here. Blonde hair, green eyes, pale complexion. She couldn't have been hard to miss." Chris asked as she put her jacket and her gloves on.

"She went out of the inn, that's for sure." The innkeeper answered. Chris nodded and they left the inn.

"She couldn't have gotten far. She doesn't know the city." Alvin said.

"Then let's search the next districts. Come on." Chris said as she led the way. They entered another district after pushing the huge wooden door open and they headed up the hill.

"There she is!" Chris pointed out as she saw Elize standing by the fountain with a familiar man beside her. They stopped in their tracks and immediately took on defensive stances.

"No reason to be alarmed. This is purely a chance encounter. Nothing more." He said, his deep voice booming around that it seemed like the snows on the rooftops would fall off. After he said those words, he walked away from her as Leia immediately approached Elize.

"Elize, I'm sorry about before. I can't imagine how lonely you must be without Teepo. Even though you got him back, things aren't the same as before. I know I have a bad habit of opening my big mouth without thinking. Please forgive me." The young woman beseeched her.

"No." Elize bluntly answered.

"Come on, don't say that. I'll beg if I have to." She said.

"I thought you and Milla were my friends! I hate you! I hate you!" The young girl yelled at them.

"Can't you see that I'm just worried sick about you?" Leia retorted back at her.

"Liar! You don't care about me at all! I don't want to be friends anymore!" She yelled back before running away. Just as she passed by Rowen, however, he called for her at the same as Chris grabbed her by the arm and stopped her in her tracks.

"Miss Elize! Everyone is being kind to you right now because you have them so concerned. You say that you feel hurt but have you considered your own actions? Do you realize that Teepo's words were hurtful to Miss Leia?" He questioned her. They could see that Rowen's words were wake-up calls for the young girl. Chris rounded up to see Elize face to face and she kneeled in front of her.

"Listen, kid. I know you're mad that even though we got Teepo's memory data back, we can't bring him to how he was before. But that doesn't mean that none of us care for you. Leia and Milla care about you a lot. Otherwise, they wouldn't be running the snow looking for you. If I didn't care about you, I wouldn't have return Teepo's memory data back, hoping he'd go back to who he was before. I'm really hurt by what you said, you know. What you said really hurt Leia, too? I bet even Milla was hurt by what Teepo said." She told the young girl.

"I hurt Leia? Milla too?" She asked.

"Well, hurt is a strong word but…you really knocked the wind out of my sails, that's for sure." She sheepishly answered.

"I had no idea…"

"Why don't you try apologizing to her?" Jude suggested as he bent down to her level.

"But I said such horrible things." She responded as she looked down.

"I am certain she will forgive you if you ask nicely." Rowen assured her as he walked up to them. "Forgiveness is a sign of a true friend."

Elize nodded and walked up to Leia.

"Leia, I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?" She requested.

"Sure but under one condition. From now on, I want you to tell me about yourself with your own voice." The older girl said. Elize smiled at the fact that she was forgiven but…

"Hmph! You're not the boss of her! You're only three years older!" Teepo retorted, much to everyone's shock.

"Teepo, stop!" Elize said as she grabbed Teepo and covered his mouth.

"Elize."

"Y-Yes."

"Even if it's only three years, I'm still older than you." Leia smugly said as she put her hands on her hips.

"Bossy Leia is scary Leia!" Teepo said. They all chuckled at the amusing display between the three. Elize turned to Chris and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I'm sorry too, Milla." She said. Chris smiled and patted her head while Milla nodded in acknowledgement of her apology.

"It's alright, kid."

"There's a lesson here, child. Never take your friends for granted." Jiao spoke up before he turned around and walked away.

"So, what do we do now? Yurgen still hasn't come back." Jude said.

"We could just barge into the castle ourselves." Alvin suggested with a serious tone in his voice.

"For the hundredth time, let's not cause trouble for Yurgen." Jude said with an exasperated tone of voice.

"That's no good? Hmm…sounded like a good idea to me." Milla said with a small pout.

"Ugh…Milla…" Chris groaned in exasperation. Suddenly, she thought of something.

"Why don't you guys explore the city for now? Take the slidecar. Visit the Castle. Just to sightsee, mind you, not barge in and yes, I'm talking to you, Milla." She said as she started walking away.

"What about you?" Alvin asked her.

"I've seen enough of this city. I did visit this place like twice every four months when I was a kid." Chris responded as she walked backwards. She went ahead to the inn and upon turning back saw that her companions were still discussing what to do. Just as she was about to enter the inn, she felt a strong blow to the back of her head and she fell on her side. With a painful groan, she turned to lie on her back in hopes of catching a glimpse of her attacker. Through her hazy vision, she saw a man all dressed in black before he covered her head up with a piece of cloth and she completely lost consciousness.

* * *

**AN (10/16/15): I lied! I can't update as frequently as I can. Okay, everyone, GroundZeroFirework here. I am so sorry for the long wait. But ****everything has been such a fuckin' hassle this finals but lucky for me, finals week is almost over and the break is about to start. It's like 2:17 AM here in the Philippines and I have a College Algebra exam in…13 hours and 2 papers due next week so I don't know when I'll update yet again but I hope this chapter is enough for you guys for now. I apologize for the quality of this chapter if it's not to your standards; I promise I will make up for that next chapter. Here's what that number means by the way:**

**1 – I've always thought that if one uses a Heart Herb for aromatherapy for one person, it could also be used as a heavy sedative for a select few people and Chris just happens to be one of those people.**

**So, that's that. Please leave a review, favorites and likes. Polls are still open for voting. If you don't know what the poll is about, I'll tell you guys right now so you don't have to go back to Chapter X:**

**DO YOU GUYS WANT ME TO SAVE FRACTURED MILLA BY THE TOX 2 STORYLINE?**

**Please vote! That's about it! Firework out!**


	24. Chapter 23: The Princess of Auj Oule

**AN: Hello everybody, GroundZeroFirework has returned and she is finally done with paperwork for Finals. As you know, for now, this is the last chapter I'll update before I return to my Strawberry Panic fic and afterwards, I'll take a short while to play Dragon Age Inquisition on the PS4 that my sweet older brother and my mother got for my 18****th**** birthday. Anyways, thanks to those who left their reviews and favorites on the previous chapters. I really appreciate them. But now, here's the chapter that everyone has been waiting for. Let's begin! **

* * *

**CHAPTER XXIII:**

**THE PRINCESS OF AUJ OULE**

* * *

Black. That's all Chris could see. An endless expanse of black. She didn't even know if her eyes were opened or close anymore. Her body hurt very badly; mostly around her face and her ribs. She'd wager she must have broken some of them. She can taste the blood on her lips and feel them on her forehead. She knew she was sitting down and she knew her hands were bound. And her mouth was also gagged. Joy. Chris was too weak to use any of her strength to even try to break through the ropes. She could also feel that her head was covered by cloth. Maybe a bag of some sort. Chris could also feel her jacket was taken from her. She could still feel the pain; meaning that Ethan was making no move to heal her. Suddenly, she heard a door open. The sound came from her right. She knew she was in for another beating. This is going to be…what…the fifth time now? Without another word, whoever entered punched her in the ribs yet again before throwing a left hook to her face. Afterwards, she felt something sharp on her thigh and another on her shoulder. Whoever this guy was decided it would be fun to poke two holes into her and decided that it would be hilarious to leave the knife in her left shoulder. She all but bit her tongue just to not yell; to not show weakness. Whoever this was wanted her to break. And she absolutely refused to do so. All of a sudden, she felt herself be pulled up from the chair and brought out of the room. Chris had absolutely no idea where she was taken; all she knew was that they were tying her with a rope by the ankles and soon she felt herself be forced to the ground before they hoisted her upside down in the air. Well, too late to fight back. Her only hope now is that Jude notices her missing and actually do find her…

* * *

Jude and the others finally arrived at the Castle's exterior courtyard after running a few errands for the townspeople. At Elize's insistence, they took the mountain slidecar to get there, which backfired on her spectacularly as she spent most of the ride clinging to Alvin while Teepo clung on Jude's face. The moment the slidecar stopped, the two rushed to get out into solid ground.

"So that was the famous mountain slidecar. That was quite the view." Milla said in amazement.

"You sure like high places." Jude responded. He wasn't at all surprised, given that she mentioned that Sylph used to fly her everywhere. They went to the interior courtyard to wait for Yurgen.

"Whoa, that's quite the line." The young man said in awe.

"I guess this King really does listen to his people." Leia stated.

"The King of Auj Oule is well known for his charisma. It is said he unified this strife-torn country on the strength of his character alone." Rowen sagely informed them.

"A guy like that is sure to help us!" Leia confidently said.

"Charisma only goes so far. If his government is secretly producing children like Elize, then he must answer for it." Milla said.

"Thank you." Elize said with a grateful smile. Jude felt someone approaching them and he turned around just in time to see Yurgen approach them.

"Sorry. We were getting antsy." He said in an apologetic manner.

"No. This is actually perfect timing." The older man said.

"Are we good to go with the wyverns?" The gruff mercenary asked him.

"Yes. I got royal approval. And something incredible happened when I requested an audience for Milla."

"What is it?" She asked as she tilted her head in curiosity.

"When I told them your names, they said his Highness was looking forward to meeting you, too." Yurgen responded enthusiastically. "Are you all famous in Rashugal or something?"

"Ah…er...I don't think so." Jude said. Technically, they are famous in Rashugal…since they were wanted x-marked criminals and all that.

"Perhaps word of the tournament has reached his Highness. What a great honor for our clan!" He jovially said. "Anyway, I have to head back to Xian Du to ready the wyverns. Tell Chris that since she has the flute, she'll have to call Iris back to her on her own."

With that said, Yurgen walked away, leaving the group on their own.

"Hmm...quite the unexpected welcome." Milla said.

"It's not a trap, is it?" Jude worriedly wondered.

"Hmmm…I have a bad feeling about this as well." Rowen contemplatively said as he stroked his beard.

"You do? It beats not getting to meet him at all." Leia said as she swayed from side to side. Alvin sighed, something that did not escape Milla's notice.

"Keeping secrets from us again?" Milla asked him with a challenging glare and a hand to her hip.

"Of course. I have to maintain my mystique for the ladies." He responded with an arrogant flair in his tone. Milla sighed but was curious nonetheless.

"What does he mean?" She asked Jude, whose shy gaze turned to floor immediately.

"They say men with secrets are attractive, or something. I'm not exactly the right guy to ask." He bashfully responded.

"Come on, let's go say hi to his Highness." Alvin said as he walked past the young man.

"Alvin, we really need you to be straight with us." He said, stopping the older man in his tracks.

"Don't worry. I know you've put your trust in me." Alvin said before he went ahead of them. The others followed suit soon after and entered the castle. What greeted them was a hallway, which they followed towards a circular hall with a fountain in the middle. They saw that there were two more hallways on the left and right sides of the room but they were cordoned off. They kept walking until they were near the throne room but were blocked off by two guards.

"Halt. Citizens seeking an audience with the King are to wait in line outside the castle." The guard said, his voice muffled by his helmet.

"We were told the King wished an audience with us." Jude said in confusion. The two guards looked at one another before the other spoke up.

"Is one of you Lady Milla?" He asked.

"That's me." She responded.

"Very well. Please proceed." The guard conceded before he and the other guard stepped aside. Jude, Alvin and Milla went ahead and Leia was about to follow them until she realized that Rowen and Elize weren't moving.

"What's the holdup?" She impatiently asked them.

"I don't believe a doll is appropriate for a royal audience. I thought we might leave it here." Rowen answered. Well, he does have a point.

"You sure?" Leia worriedly asked.

"It's okay." Elize assured her.

"I'll hold that for you." The guard offered and Elize immediately approached him to give Teepo up.

"Now, let us meet this King." Rowen said before they followed after the other three. Eventually, they arrived at what was obviously the throne room. There were three thrones and they saw a familiar man. It was hard to not recognize him since he was huge.

"What are you doing here?" Jude asked in shock.

"I am Jiao the Immovable of the Chimeriad." Jiao answered them as he crossed his arms.

"The Chimeriad?" Milla asked in confusion.

"Four warriors in personal service to the King. To think Jiao was a member all along…" Rowen responded. Suddenly, the door at the very back opened and two men walked out. One of them had pale skin and was wearing all black and he had black eyes and hair but he had a tuft of hair sticking out and dyed yellow, similar to Milla's. The other man was wearing clothes with gray and orange colorings in them. He had tanned skin, long messy black hair and red eyes. To be honest, he looked a bit familiar to them. And with the way he was seated at the throne; it could only mean one thing: this was King of Auj Oule.

"It is a great honor to meet you, former Chief of Staff Ilbert." The man beside the King smoothly said.

"Ah…and you are the Ebon Wing of Auj Oule…Wingul the Nova."

"You must be the King of Auj Oule." Milla began.

"My name is Gaius, King of Auj Oule. Welcome, Maxwell." He said.

"You have requested an audience with the King, have you not? Now, please state your business." Wingul requested of them.

"Boosters made in your country have already fallen into Rashugal hands." Jude spoke up. "If a war were to break out between your nations, then the results would be catastrophic for everyone." He added. Gaius, however, seems like he already knew what Jude was saying.

"Oh…and you came all the way here to tell me that personally." He stated.

"Uh…yes, your highness." Jude said with his head hung low.

"We're planning to destroy one of Rashugal's weapons. A really big one at that." Leia said as she stepped up. "Once that thing's gone, we know that Rashugal's king wouldn't dare declare war on you. In fact, we hoped that you might…you know…help us?"

"Is there anything else?" Wingul asked. This time it was Rowen who spoke up.

"Yes, there is one other matter we'd like to discuss. It is in regards to the booster laboratory within the Royal Hunting Grounds."

The moment that was mentioned, Jiao looked down in shame.

"Is it true that you once abducted orphans for this facility and then you performed experiments on these children?" Milla asked him. Gaius snorted before speaking up.

"Well, I didn't see that one coming. What does any of this have to do with you, spirit?" He asked her.

"I am Maxwell. It is my duty to protect both spirits and human alike." She declared with determination.

"Really? Spirits protecting humans? Now that is quite an interesting tale."

"You forsook your duty as King, and then you toyed with the lives of your own people, didn't you?" Milla asked him but Gaius gave no answer.

"The laboratory is entirely my responsibility. It was a haven for those children. They would've died without it. You imagine it as a mad scientist's lab but I assure you, the experiments were entirely humane." Wingul answered.

"You expect us to take your word for it?" Milla angrily asked him. How could these people do such an atrocity? And to children, no less.

"But I…I was…" Elize began but she didn't know what to say anymore.

"This girl, she was that test subject?" Wingul asked as he turned to Jiao.

"Yes, she was." He answered.

"Even in Hamil, Elize was forced to live in a tiny room. Didn't you ever consider that as-"

"Cruel?" Gaius cut him off.

"Well…uh…yes." Jude said, intimidated by the King.

"Tell me something, boy. Have you considered what it takes to achieve happiness?" Gaius asked him.

"To achieve happiness?"

"Yes, to try and live a satisfying life. How do you think one can achieve that? Do you even know?"

"Well…" Jude began but before he can answer, Milla interjected.

"It takes freedom to make your own decision and to form your own beliefs."

"Exactly. It takes freedom."

"Heh…well, I disagree." Gaius said before he stood up.

"When a man loses his way in life, the ground beneath him starts to slowly crumble, until there is nothing left."

"What do you mean nothing left?" Jude asked in confusion.

"A man who cannot find his way becomes trapped. The more he struggles, the deeper he sinks into uncertainty."

For some reason, his words struck a chord deep within Jude.

"True happiness comes from following a noble path across an entire lifetime without getting lost. My country does not produce failures. It is the king's duty to show his people the proper path. I must keep them from becoming completely trapped. Now, let me tell you in no uncertain terms why I've called you here. I suppose it is to thank you for bringing someone back to me.

"Bringing someone…back to you?" Leia asked in confusion. Wingul snapped his fingers and immediately a guard emerged from the back door and gave Gaius something.

"I suppose this looks familiar to you, does it not?" He asked as he threw the item at their feet. Much to their shock and horror, it was Chris' jacket and the fur lining was covered in blood. Lots of it. Elize bent down to pick it up.

"It's Chris' jacket." Leia muttered in shock.

"Wh-What? Wh-Where is she?" Elize asked in fear as she held the jacket close to her. Rowen, meanwhile, attempted to pry it away from her so as to not let her see the blood and let her fears escalate but her grip was iron and so he only held her close to him the same way a grandfather would to their grandchild.

"Where's Chris? Answer me!" Milla demanded of him. Wingul snapped his fingers yet again and out of nowhere, something dropped down from the ceiling on the throne's right hand side. Leia almost screamed as they saw the bound body of Chris, hanging upside down. The fact that there was a knife sticking out of her left shoulder didn't help at all. Wingul approached her and removed the bag of cloth from her head and the gag around her mouth. To their relief, Chris' face wasn't all that messed up as they collectively expected it to be. Her face only had a few bruises here and there and her lip was split.

"Wha-Where?" Chris asked in confusion as she hung upside down. Once the world stopped spinning for her and her eyes adjusted, she saw a familiar face.

"You…son of a bitch! I knew it was you!" She yelled at Wingul.

"Watch your tongue, Christina. I thought your Aunt raised you better than that." Wingul said as he twisted the knife on her shoulder. Chris bit her tongue yet again so as to not yell out.

"Yes, this is the person who you've unwittingly lured back to me." Gaius said as he approached Chris with an _extremely _disappointed look on his face. Finally, Wingul pulled the knife out.

"I-I don't understand. Who is she to you?" Leia asked him in confusion.

"Oh, so she never told you? I suppose that we'll have to reveal it, then." Gaius said before he gestured to Wingul.

"Don't! Don't say it! Don't you dare say it!" Chris yelled at him but Wingul gave her a backhanded slap to the face before turning to the others.

"This girl you see before you is the same girl that Jude Mathis has been studying medicine with in Fennmont for the past 2 years. The same girl that Maxwell herself blessed with the status of a Lilium Twin. The same girl that you've been travelling with for days now. Yet which one of you knew that the girl that you've built up camaraderie with is actually Christina, the runaway Princess of Auj Oule."

To say that they were surprised was an understatement. They were shocked. Shocked at how Chris kept something like this for a long time. Shocked at how she never trusted them enough to tell them this. There had to be some reason why she never said a word, right?

"Then, that means…Chris is King Gaius' daughter?" Leia asked in shock.

"Chris…is this true? You're the Princess of Auj Oule?" Milla asked in disbelief. How can she not have known this? How can she not have realized that the children she chose to protect Rieze Maxia in her stead were the royal children of Auj Oule?

"Yeah. It is. I didn't tell anyone in Fennmont because they would either hold me hostage against my father or rat me out to him completely. And I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't come back and live here and watch him do nothing to get justice for Ethan and mom's deaths. I didn't tell any of you because I didn't want to talk about it. Because I didn't think it mattered. For once, I had friends who saw me for me and not the future Queen of Auj Oule." She admitted as she closed her eyes in defeat. Gaius closed his eyes for a beat when he heard Ethan's name; something that didn't escape Milla's notice. After that, Wingul cut her bonds and left her a crumpled heap on the floor before picking her up and punching her in the gut and kneeing her to the face. Then he threw her over to Jiao. She realized what was happening now; her punishment. The consequence for deserting her tribe. Basically, it's just an extremely bad beating where you have to rely on your endurance but they won't stop until you either pass out, die or they get tired of beating the stuffing out of you.

"Guys, no matter what happens, don't let Elize see this. Make sure she doesn't see this. And if none of you want to look, I suggest you turn your eyes away now." She told them. Leia held Elize close to her and made sure her back was turned from the scene as she herself could only stand and watch.

"Christina, for deserting your tribe, I sentence you to face the consequences. Forgive me, daughter. This is the last thing I want to do to you. But I am bound by my own law to do this." Gaius said before he gestured to Jiao. Chris turned to look at Gaius with a _very _deadly glare. One that caught even Gaius off-guard. But as usual, he didn't show it.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Father." Chris spat out as Jiao hoisted her up.

"Forgive me, child." He said in a genuine apologetic tone.

"Do what you have to do. That's an order." She sternly said. Jiao nodded before delivering a strong punch to her face. One that knocked her back to the ground and had her seeing stars for the next 10 seconds. He picked her up and gave her an uppercut and kicked her leg. Once she was down, Jiao elbowed her back. Then, he kicked her like a rag doll off to the side before picking her up by the head and slamming her back down to the floor. Twice. Then, he kneed her to the gut and punching the same spot afterwards before letting her fall to the ground. Afterwards, he grabbed her by the leg and slammed her on the ground once.

"Why isn't Ethan healing her?" Jude asked Milla in confusion as he watched the scene, horrified at the beatings that Chris was taking. Chris' face covered in blood; her nose was probably broken again, her cheek and her forehead were split open same with her lips. She most likely had broken ribs as well and Jude hoped that she didn't have any internal bleeding; otherwise Chris is doomed as neither of them were trained to handle such injuries yet.

"I don't know." Milla replied and for the first time, she showed a horrified expression on her face. Chris made no move to crawl away or even fight back and she still didn't scream even as pain stabbed through her body a million times over or when Jiao stepped on the wound on her leg.

"Wh-What's going on?" Elize fearfully asked as she attempted to look back but Leia held her in place, forcing her to cling to the older girl yet again.

"Don't look, Elize." The young nurse said as she kneeled in front of her and put Chris' jacket around her.

"You're crying." Elize pointed out. It was only then that she realized that tears were streaming down from her face. No surprise; she was just as horrified as the others at what she was seeing. How can a father do this to his own daughter?

"Stop. Stop this!" Milla finally yelled out, unable to take the injustice anymore. Whether or not she deserted her tribe, Chris didn't deserve the punishment that was being handed out to her. What was her crime? For choosing her own path in life? For deciding to grieve in her own way and away from home? If anything Gaius should be proud that his daughter was able to live on her own and made something of herself before Milla came along and ruined it. She would not stand by for this. She refused to.

"Very well. But on one condition." Gaius said before nodding towards Jiao. Jiao picked Chris up and braced his arm by her neck and placing a hand on her head but not really applying any pressure.

"Maxwell, I know you stole the key from the laboratory in Rashugal. Tell me where it is and I'll let her go." He said.

"And if I refuse?" Milla asked him.

"Then you will watch Jiao snap Christina's fragile neck." Wingul answered for his King.

"Now, for Christina's sake, hand it over immediately." He demanded.

"No, I won't. The key was not meant for human hands. Besides, even if I don't hand it over, you wouldn't dare kill her. I'm calling your bluff, Gaius." Milla responded.

"Oh, what makes you say that?" Gaius challenged her.

"Well, had her brother lived, Chris never would've stood a chance for the throne of Auj Oule. The fact that she ran away is testament that she never wanted the burden of a throne and an entire country. But your son, Ethan, the Prince of Auj Oule and the most viable of your children to someday rule is now dead and so the future of Auj Oule rests Chris' shoulders. As your sole heir, you wouldn't let her die. No one would take your place then. The worse you would do to her is to give her a beating to put her in her place and make sure she learns her lesson. It's simple logic." She confidently answered. Milla noticed that like before, when Ethan's name was mentioned, Gaius closed his eyes momentarily as if he was wincing.

"You make good case, Maxwell." Gaius responded before he gestured to Jiao. Jiao nodded and threw Chris towards them, making her slide on the floor and her barely conscious and crumpled body skidding to a stop in front of Rowen and Leia. The two immediately checked on her and Elize was horrified to see her broken and bloody mess of a friend.

"She's barely breathing." Leia stated as she set Chris' nose back to allow her to receive more air. They can all see how she's struggling to breathe like a fish out of water. Jude hypothesized that she may have a broken rib that's affecting her lung.

"Hand over the key, Maxwell." Gaius demanded yet again.

"No. When faced with a power that could destroy the entire world, no human can control him or herself." Milla responded with determination.

"It seems as though you haven't heard a thing I just said, spirit."

"Heh, something about human guidance and noble paths? I've heard it before. You humans never change. I've watched you for 2000 years." Milla said. Wingul sighed upon seeing her stubbornness.

"Alright, then why don't you tell us where the key is?" He said, only he wasn't referring to Milla anymore but rather to the man in the brown coat.

"What?" Leia asked in confusion as she kept Chris upper body elevated. By now, the girl was barely conscious.

"Alvin? What are you doing?" Jude asked him but Alvin kept walking up to Wingul. By then, they all put the pieces together.

"But you can't!" Elize protested.

"Sorry, guys. Just doing my job." He responded.

"Alvin, who did Maxwell entrust the key to?" Wingul asked him.

"The handmaid Ivar. He's probably sulking back in Nia Khera as we speak. Suddenly, the back door opened and the woman from the Seafalls came running in. If she had a panicked look coming in, she was completely startled when she saw Alvin.

"Al, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Hey, Presa. Long time no see." He said with a smile.

"Presa, what is it?" Wingul asked her but instead of answering, Presa looked to Alvin, then to the others, then to Chris before going back to Alvin again. Gaius lost his patience and spoke up.

"Ignore them. Give your report."

"The Rashugal Army has invaded Hamil." She reported gravely. Much to everyone's shock.

"What did you say?" Rowen asked her.

"I'm afraid the casualties were high. Those who were not killed were captured. They were then sent to Rashugal." She added before continuing on. "We also found evidence that the power of a Great Spirit was used upon the village."

"A Great Spirit? But no one has successfully summoned the Four Great Spirits for two decades." Gaius reminded her.

"Impossible. I would've known if the Four Great Spirits were released. Could it be the Lance of Kresnik? Is it possible that Nachtigal has made a new key?" Milla said amidst her shock.

"If that's the case, then we're declaring war. Send word to all the clans. I am going to crush anyone who dares harm my people!" Gaius angrily declared. "Wingul, maim Christina. Make sure she doesn't leave the palace." He ordered the man. Chris pushed Leia and Rowen away as far as she could as Wingul drew his sword out and moved to attack but instead, Presa threw her body in front of the girl and embraced her, as if shielding her body with her own.

"No, my lord! She's weak! She'll probably die with the next injury inflicted and Auj Oule would lose its future Queen. Please, your Highness, she's learned her lesson!" She begged of the Auj Oule King. Chris was half-surprised at how easily she came to her defense. But then again, Presa was always one of the few people looking out for them. While they were only able to visit their father in Kanbalar twice every four months, Gaius made sure to send out one of the Chimeriad to check on them every two weeks. And ever since she arrived to join the Chimeriad a few months before Ethan's death, Presa was always the one to check on them ever since. She'd talk to them and ask them things and sometimes indulge them and play with them and defend Chris from bullies. Something that Jiao barely did and something that Wingul NEVER did. It was like they gained a big sister. In fact, she was the one who found Ethan and her dead and dying on the inside (respectively) in the Mon Highlands a few minutes before Karla and her father came along. It brought a small and painful smile to Chris' face to see her defending her again like she used to.

"Very well, then." Was only Gaius' response before walking away. Wingul sheathed his sword yet again and Presa slowly let Chris lie on the floor before walking away from her. Leia took her place immediately and helped her keep herself up.

"Well then, we will no longer have any need for the likes of you. But if his Highness were to have the spirit Maxwell as his captive, even the unruly clans would be forced to bend their knees." Wingul stated as the palace guards formed a circle around them.

"Miss Elize!" Rowen called for her.

"Teepo, now!" The little girl yelled out. Immediately, Teepo sprang to life and headbutted the guard holding him.

"Well, don't just stand there! Come on, run!" He yelled at them. Immediately, the group scrambled to get out of the palace and Milla backhanded the guard that held Teepo while Elize grabbed Chris' sword that she just noticed the guard had strapped to his belt.

"Elize, come on!" Jude called for her and immediately, she caught up with him as she clutched the weapon close to her and they ran out. Jude turned his head for a moment and saw that Jiao, Wingul and Presa stood behind watching them while Alvin was waving at them. They heard Wingul issue new orders to the guards.

"Capture Maxwell! Recover the test subject! Bring Princess Christina back at all costs!"

* * *

It was a complete struggle to get Chris down the stairs with her barely awake, a nearly limp leg thanks to a stab wound and having to knock out a couple of guards but somehow they did it. They arrived back at the palace courtyard when Elize stopped in her tracks.

"So, Alvin really was a big fat liar." She mused out loud. They all stopped and Rowen approached the little girl.

"I assumed he had his reasons, but this time, he took it too far." Rowen stated.

"Stupid traitor! Lemme at him!" Teepo yelled out, much to Milla's amusement.

"Why would he betray us like that?" Leia asked as she adjusted Chris' arm on her shoulders.

"I'm afraid even I can't read his mind." The older woman responded.

"How could he do this to us? He better not show his face around us again!" Jude angrily said through gritted teeth. Suddenly, they heard bells ringing.

"They've left the castle!"

Then, they heard the gates closing. Just their luck, it was the mountain slidecar's gates.

"We-We're o-on…lo-lockdown." Chris managed to croak out before hissing and clutching her chest in pain.

"What does that mean?" Milla asked her. Chris coughed out a little blood before answering.

"It-It's a security measure…in-in ca-case there are criminals…in the city." Another cough. "The...the doors to…the other di-districts are-are locked ex-except for-for the main entrance. Same wi-with the mountain slidecars." A series of coughs racked Chris' body yet again. "You-you can still open the slidecar. It's the only w-way…to get to the first district at th-this p-point."

They can see how difficult it is for Chris to talk by now, especially when she started to violently cough out blood.

"Stop talking for now, Chris." Leia told her.

"You-You don't have…a lot of-of time left. Le-Leave me here."

"W-What?" Jude asked in confusion.

"Leave me! I-I'll only…slow you down." She repeated as she gritted her teeth in pain.

"That's not an option. Let's go. Leia, support Chris as much as you can." Milla said before walking past them. Leia nodded, determination apparent in her eyes. They walked over to the slidecar's gates just as a slidecar arrived.

"It won't open." Jude said.

"If we can reactivate the five control stones, we may be able to unlock the gate." Rowen hypothesized. "Pour your mana into the stones until they turn red."

"Just like at Fort Gandala." Elize said. Rowen nodded at her comparison.

"The gates will not unlock, however, unless we all activate the stones at roughly the same time." He added.

"Wait, I've never done anything like this before!" Leia said as she adjusted her hold on Chris.

"Don't worry. Just use your mana as you would when casting an arte." The elderly gentleman assured her.

"There's no time. We've only one chance. Not to mention, Chris needs medical attention. And she's not going to get it here." Milla stated before she and Jude ran off to one stone. Leia put Chris down beside the stone she would occupy first before walking over to it.

"Let us begin!" Rowen said and they all simultaneously put their hands up and started to pour the mana into the stone. Leia looked off to the side and saw two guards running towards them.

"Uh-oh!" She said.

"Done!" Rowen said as his stone turned red.

"Already?"

"I'm finished too." Milla said.

"Same here." Jude answered as Elize's stone turned red as well.

"Come on! Come on! I'm so sick of holding everyone back! Why? Why can't I do it?" Leia angrily questioned herself as tears sprang from her eyes. Suddenly, a bloody hand shot up and held her shaky hand steady as Milla's gloved hand appeared. Looking to the side, they saw Chris standing up and using the stone as her crutch, aiding Leia along with Milla.

"Leia. Relax." Milla told her.

"I'm not good enough for this!" She responded.

"Quit thinking you're inferior to anyone here."

"Thanks." She answered in gratitude and the two continued to pour their mana into the stone until it turned red. Finally, the gate opened just as the guards were coming near them. Before Leia could take Chris yet again, the girl pulled a dagger from her jacket that Elize was wearing and threw it at one of the guards. It hit its mark and Chris yelled out in agony as she realized that she moved her injured shoulder too much. Jude immediately put her arm around his shoulders and he and Chris dragged her to the slidecar. Before the guard could catch up to them, the car closed off and started moving. The two made Chris sit on the chair for her to rest.

"We should be safe now." Leia said in relief.

"For now. We don't know what's waiting for us down there." Rowen gravely responded as he looked out the window and saw Wingul and Presa running from district to district. From the looks of things, they might get to the first district shortly after their group gets there. And that does not bode well for them. Not only that, Chris is in dire need of medical attention. He can only pray that they get out of Kanbalar alive and in one piece.

* * *

**AN: Woohoo! Happy Birthday to me! And that's Chapter XXIII! The chapter that everyone has been waiting for. Also a few things before somebody decides to roast me in the review section:**

**I know that some of you may think of this chapter is a bit…for the lack of a better word…extreme. Some of you may think that some of the characters are a bit OOC, especially Gaius and Presa. Some of you may even think that I made Gaius to be cruel in this chapter. But please put those fears to rest; I didn't just do this for the dramatic effect. There's an in-character reason for why Gaius acted the way he did in this chapter (having her beaten, sentencing Chris to suffer the consequences of deserting and attempting to have her maimed). Reasons that will be explained in the future chapters. But I'll tell you MY reasons for making it out this way; if you were a parent and your child comes home from running away for 3 years, wouldn't your demeanor change to discipline them as well? Granted that Gaius' form of discipline here is extreme but…oh, well. Everyone has their own ways of disciplining their child (not that I'll discipline my future children in this manner, mind you). Like I said, Gaius has his own reasons. As for Presa, well, her demeanor will be explained in the future chapters as well. All I'll say for now is that in here, Ethan and Chris were very dear to her. Probably one of the few people she actually cares about.**

**And that's all for Chapter XXIII of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Please leave your reviews, favorites and follows! The polls are still open; if you want to know what the poll is about, please return to Chapter X or XXII. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.**


	25. Chapter 24: Flight

**AN: Alright, hello, everybody! I am back. I managed to squeeze in a story in the new Fandom contests at inkitt. It's called "Happiness at Last" and the fandom I wrote it for is Monty Oum's RWBY, so if you guys love RWBY, can find it and read it and it's to your liking, please leave me a heart so I can get some votes in the contest. Anyways, thanks to that one reviewer who greeted me a happy birthday like two months ago. That's also something I appreciated. I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter and now I hope you guys enjoy this one as well.**

**To quote Vocaloid's "Seven Crimes and Punishments": Now, let's begin! **

* * *

**CHAPTER XXIV:**

**FLIGHT **

* * *

The moment the mountain slidecar stopped on the first district, Leia and Jude immediately grabbed Chris from her seat and practically dragged her out of the slidecar. They were about to approach the door when…

"Nobody leaves me behind at a party."

…they came face to face with Presa.

"Presa, was it? If you've been Gaius' henchwoman all along then you've been after us ever since we escaped Fennmont." Milla stated.

"Al sold you back to His Highness way back in Nia Khera." She promptly informed them.

"He was on your side the whole time." Jude said in realization through gritted teeth as he let his hold of Chris go. His statement was met with a snort from the woman.

"Hardly. That man is no ally."

Jude's face clearly showed his confusion.

"I'll leave our relationship to your imagination." Presa said before she continued on. "All I'll say is this: Al drifts from one group to the next like a ship without a compass. Trying to plot his course is impossible. Serves you right for trusting him."

"It's obvious that the Lance of Kresnik is the greatest threat if war breaks out. Surely Maxwell realizes this." Wingul said from where he was standing.

"Your territorial squabbles are of no interest to me. My only concern is keeping that thing out of human hands and preventing a miserable end for us all." Milla retorted. Wingul responded by pulling his sword out.

"So high and mighty. It's time someone broke your arrogance."

Just as Milla was prepping herself up to attack, Rowen held his arm out.

"Enough. You didn't become a veteran of countless battles through meaningless bloodshed. Has your youth gotten the better of you?" He asked the young man as Milla stood down.

"Don't lecture me on age, Ilbert. Your ways are old. Therefore, you falter." Wingul gravely said as he raised his sword up. "And then you flee!"

And suddenly, Wingul was engulfed by white mist and his hairs turned white, became pointy and were all going towards one direction. His cloak became outstretched, making it similar to a wing.

"Wh-What just happened?" Leia asked as she continued her hold on Chris, not noticing that one of Chris' Lilium orbs had begun glowing. In fact, none of them noticed.

"A sudden burst of mana?" Milla exclaimed in shock.

"He has a booster!" Jude informed them.

"Why?" Elize asked. Wingul responded in a language that none of them knew.

"What?" Jude asked in confusion as they pulled their weapons out.

"Is that Long Dau?" The elderly gentleman wondered out loud. Again, Wingul said something that they couldn't understand and Leia was caught off guard when Chris separated from her, took her sword from Elize and staggered towards Rowen before putting a bloodied hand on his shoulder.

"He-He said…earl-earlier th-that Elize…should-should watch her t-tongue and respect her-her…elders. Now-"She was cut off when her body was racked with coughs and she clenched her teeth in pain. "Now…Now, he s-says he was pl-planning on capturing Mi-Milla earlier. But he thinks it-it'd be easier to ki-kill her."

Jude and Milla noticed that one of her Lilium orbs were glowing but neither of them knew what it meant. Milla felt that she should know since she was Maxwell and she created the Lilium Twins. But instead, she was drawing up a blank when she tried to search for an explanation. Jude, meanwhile, was more concerned about Milla; if Wingul wanted her dead, he'd have to go through him first. He would never let anything happen to Milla. Not as long as he was still breathing.

"Are the two of you really willing…to fight me…with them?" Chris asked as she tried to stand straight on her own two feet. She saw the flash of hesitance in Presa's eyes but Wingul remained stoic as ever.

"Presa?" She addressed the woman. Finally, she shook her head as she slowly inched away.

"No. I already stuck my neck out for you against your father earlier. I don't want to undo that myself. Wingul, you take care of this. Go easy on her though; we don't want our country heirless." The sultry woman said before walking away. That left Wingul to deal with them. Immediately, he rushed forward and tried to slash his sword at Chris but luckily, despite her weakness, she was able to at least pull a bit of her sword out to successfully block it. Wingul slapped her so hard in the face with the back of his hand that she flew backwards and wasn't able to get up. Afterwards, before he can do anything else, Jude launched forward to attack and landed a punch into Wingul's gut. Soon after, Leia retaliated with an arte.

"_Darting Claw_!"

The young nurse stabbed at Wingul with her spear three times, the last one missing its mark. However, due to that, Wingul was able to swipe his sword at her numerous times and she was sent to the ground. Milla slashed his sword at Wingul, hitting his shoulder before Elize took over and sent her light stars towards him then she finished her attack off with an arte.

"_Negative Gate!"_

A black hole opened up on the ground and shadowy hands engulfed Wingul, injuring him in nearly every part of his body. While he was distracted, Rowen attacked with his own arte.

"_Blue Sphere!"_

A large bubble of water appeared and dropped to the ground, drenching Wingul and bringing him even more pain. Again, he delivered an arte.

"_Rising Phoenix!"_

Wingul backflipped towards the air before rushing forward towards Rowen, fiery feathers trailing behind him as he swung his sword and hit Rowen in the leg. Jude immediately rushed to attack with an arte.

"_Aqua Sweep!"_

Jude dropped to the ground and swept his leg, water trailing behind it and hit Wingul in the leg. Milla slashed her sword towards him but he was able to block her attack. Milla smirked before holding her hand out.

"_Fireball!"_

An explosion engulfed Wingul all of a suddenly and Milla immediately linked with Jude and performed a link arte.

"_Flame Sphere!"_

Another dome of fire appeared and another explosion happened, forcing Wingul to the ground. Before he can get up, Elize made her arte.

"_Pow Hammer!"_

A small hammer fell on Wingul and finally fed up, Wingul used his own arte on Elize.

"_Severing Wind!"_

He slashed his sword once, hitting her before following up by doing a spiral on her, launching her in the air and she fell down on the ground. Suddenly, they noticed a bright glow beside them. They turned and realized that Chris was struggling to get up, her Lilium Orb glowing brighter. Suddenly, some sort of misty essence flowed out of the orb, eventually taking shape as a familiar young boy.

"What?" Jude breathed out in confusion. Even Milla was confused; what's going on? How was he here?

"Ethan?" Chris called for him. The boy looked at her and offered his hand. Reluctantly, Chris took it. And much to her shock and awe; it was tangible. He hoisted her up and tilted his head towards Wingul. Chris nodded as she pulled her sword out.

"Yeah, let's get him." She said as she nodded her head. Together, they rushed to attack. For once, Chris was able link with him; she felt it. She slashed her sword towards Wingul despite the difficulty and injured him in the chest before performing a linked arte.

"_Armageddon!"_

Chris jumped in the air and kicked Wingul just as Ethan held his hand out and an explosion happens as flames erupted from the ground where Wingul was. It seems he was too weak to get back up. Ethan eventually faded away and Chris dropped her sword and collapsed on the floor with her wounds still the same. Like he didn't even bother healing her. Rowen and Leia immediately helped her up as Wingul tried to stand up.

"What now?" He asked as Presa approached them. The woman simply stood beside Wingul with a hand on her hip. Milla drew her sword yet again.

"Still want to play, do you?" Presa asked and before Milla can attack, Jude held his hand out.

"Wait!"

"Don't try to stop me." She said.

"Look." Jude said. And indeed, Auj Oule soldiers were starting to approach them.

"I suppose our time is up." Milla declared before they all turned around and made their way towards the door.

"Running away again, Ilbert?" Wingul questioned the old gentleman. Rowen abruptly stopped in his tracks as the others ran past him.

"It's because you ran away last time that King Nachtigal ended up the way he did!" The younger man yelled out in an accusing tone. Rowen, however, said nothing and simply followed after his companions into the snow.

* * *

The party ran as far as they could and as fast as they can away from Kanbalar. They were somewhere in the Mon Highlands but they shouldn't be so far from Xian Du now.

"We have to hurry to Xian Du." Jude stated as he and Leia worked together to bring Chris. Every movement they made was met with a whimper from the newly revealed Princess and it worried them immensely. They were barely sustaining her with gels and they were running low on them as well…

"Why isn't Ethan healing you, Chris?" Leia asked in confusion.

"He-He's keeping h-h-h-his word. Wh-When we-we-we were k-k-kids, he said that i-if I desert the tr-tribe and I eventually get c-c-caught, he-he-he won't help me out." Chris managed to answer through chattering teeth.

"I see the entrance to Xian Du. Won't be long now. We're almost there." Milla said as they continued on. Eventually, they arrived back in Xian Du and just their luck, they spotted Isla and Yurgen.

"Yurgen! Isla!" Jude called out for them. Before he could walk towards them, Rowen put a hand on his shoulder.

"Careful. Word of our altercation may have preceded us." The older man gently warned him as Yurgen and Isla approached.

"How was your audience with the King?" Yurgen asked with a gentle smile. However, it immediately fell off when he saw Chris. Even Isla was shocked by how the young girl looked.

"What happened to her?" She asked as she gently lifted Chris' head to examine her.

"I knew this would happen sooner or later the moment she arrived in the city." Yurgen gravely said as he took the young girl from Leia.

"Take her to the inn so I can examine her, please." Isla requested. Immediately, they set off for the inn to treat Chris.

Hours later, Isla, Jude and Leia walked out of the inn's room where Chris was being treated. There were small traces of blood in each of their hands.

"Whoa, that was intense. Not even the Doc would let me handle stuff like that if he ever had to." Leia stated in shock.

"We weren't even supposed to learn that until the last parts of the year." Jude responded as they approached Milla and the others.

"Well, how is she, Isla?" Yurgen asked his fiancée.

"She's out of the woods. We had to set back her ribs so we can apply Healer on it. She's fine now, though. Just a few wounds and bruises. You can see her now but do take it easy on her." She quietly responded.

"I see. Thank you, Isla. You have our gratitude." Milla said before they all headed upstairs. They entered the room and saw Chris lying on the bed with nothing but bandages covering her torso. Most of the injuries were situated around her head and her ribs so it was no surprise if there were bandages there. Her lip was still somewhat split and no doubt it would result in another scar. Same goes for the top of her left eyebrow. Her right eye wasn't swollen anymore but it was somewhat obvious that there was a bruise there. Milla gently put her hand a top of Chris' head and she cracked her eyes open a bit.

"Milla?" She weakly moaned out.

"How are you feeling, young Miss?" Rowen gently asked her.

"Like a million Gald. Nah, I'm kidding; I feel like a herd of mares ran me over." She lightheartedly said with a small chuckle. Chris winced at the sharp pain it brought her ribs. Immediately, Teepo chomped her face while Elize hugged her.

"My face hurts. Please get him off me." Chris requested through gritted teeth and Rowen immediately pried Teepo off of her. Elize, however, refused to let go of her.

"Kid, anymore and you'll break my ribs again." She told the little girl with a tone of humor in it as she stroked Elize's head.

"We were so scared, Chris!" Teepo yelled out as he floated towards Elize's side. It was only then that Chris realized that Elize was crying.

"Come on, stop crying." Chris weakly chided her.

"Sorry. I just…I don't want to lose a friend like I lost mother and father." The little girl said as she wiped her tears away. Again, Chris chuckled despite the pain.

"Never gonna happen, kid. That's a promise." She assured Elize.

"Miss Elize, I suggest we let Miss Chris rest for now. I'm sure she'll be up and about in the morning." Rowen told the little girl, who simply nodded before standing up and following Rowen out of the room.

"Get some rest, Chris. We leave tomorrow." Milla said before making a move to leave.

"Milla."

She stopped in her tracks and turned around to face Chris.

"Thanks for standing up for me against my dad earlier." She said with a grateful tone. Milla gave her small smile and a nod before leaving the room while Chris closed her eyes yet again.

* * *

When Chris woke up again, the sun was barely rising over Xian Du. Looking around, she saw that her companions were asleep in their respective beds. Grabbing her shirt and her jacket (which Elize had finally shed), she carefully put them on, hissing in pain every once in a while as pain flared in some parts of her body before bending down to put her boots on. Then she carefully walked out of the room and left the inn. She limped over to the bridge and leaned on the railing, mind her own business as the people rose and slowly started opening their businesses.

"How are the injuries?" A familiar voice asked. Isla's face slowly came into view in the water as she leaned on the railing as well beside the young princess.

"Painful at times. But that's to be expected. Nothing that won't heal in a few days." She answered with a cough and a wince.

"You seem so sure." Isla said with a small smile.

"You seem to forget I was a doctor too." Chris retorted, never taking her eyes off the water. "Have you told Yurgen yet?"

Isla remained quiet as she continued looking at the water.

"You have to tell him some time." Chris reminded her.

"Tell me what?" A deeper voice said behind them. They both perked up and turned around, seeing Yurgen behind them.

"Well…cat's out of the bag. Get crackin'. If you don't do it, I will." Chris said before limping away. However, she stayed nearby, watching everything unfold before her very eyes. She knew that Isla was telling Yurgen the truth about what she did before they met and what she did to Elize. Yurgen appeared hurt and he was clenching his fists so much that it worried Chris. Slowly, she attempted to make her way towards them to prevent Yurgen from hurting Isla. But at the last minute, he unclenched his fists and embraced her. Isla cried in his arms as they embraced but despite that, Isla managed to glance her way and gave her a small, teary smile as she mouthed out the words _'Thank you' _towards her. The young princess returned the smile with a nod before turning around and walking back to the inn but before she can, she spotted her companions running out of the inn, Leia and Jude scrambling after one another. They stopped, however, when they saw her standing a few inches before them. Chris gave them a look that clearly stated she was uncomfortable by what she was seeing and walked the opposite direction, hearing her friends running after her yet again.

"Chris! How are you feeling?" Jude asked her as he stopped in front of her. The others stopped behind her immediately.

"As good as a person who got the ever loving snot beaten out of them can be." Chris answered as she rubbed the back of her neck. Before anyone could say anything else, however, Yurgen approached them.

"How are you feeling, Chris?" He asked her.

"Good. For someone who just got beaten the crap out of them." She answered with crossed arms. "How is Isla?"

"Good. She took a walk to clear her head. Thank you for asking her to tell me. What happened in Kanbalar?" Yurgen asked for clarification. Milla spoke up immediately, remembering that Gaius was probably still after them.

"I'm sorry. We'll have to talk later. Can we depart right away?" She requested.

"Well, I guess that's possible. You in some kind of hurry? Is Chris on the run from her dad again?" Yurgen lightheartedly asked them.

"Yeah, that's one part of it." The young princess answered him. Yurgen sighed in response before another familiar voice joined in.

"No need to rush off."

They all turned around and saw the familiar gruff mercenary in a brown coat standing there.

"Alvin!?" Jude exclaimed in surprise.

"They're on a wild goose chase in the mountains right about now." Alvin informed them.

"You threw them off our scent? Is this some kind of peace offering?" Milla asked with suspicion in her tone.

"Peace offering, my ass." Chris mumbled under her breath.

"What? It's only natural I helped you. We're friends, aren't we?" The mercenary said.

"No, we are not." Chris said out loud this time. The others opted to stay silent and simply looked at him with suspicion.

"Oh, don't be like that, princess. Come on, you don't believe me? I know you've put your trust in me before. Would it kill you to give me another shot?" Alvin asked as he walked towards Jude and Chris and slung both of his arms on both of them.

"It probably would this time around." Was the young woman's only response.

"I-I guess not." Jude sullenly said.

"Oh, come on! Do you really want to trust this guy again?" Chris asked him.

"Attaboy, Jude. Chris, you should take a page off his book. Forgive and forget, right?"

"Those words aren't easy to find in my vocabulary. If they were, my life would be so much easier." She responded.

"And I haven't forgiven or forgotten." Jude said somewhat coldly which Alvin simply laughed off.

"Welcome back. I'm glad that you're safe." Elize said with an obviously fake sincerity, something Alvin caught on to.

"Heh, thanks. You almost sound sincere." He said.

"If nothing else, it seems Alvin has bought us some time." Rowen said.

"I'd press and ask what's going on but I don't think I want to know anymore. You people sure have a lot of drama in your lives." Yurgen told them. "I'll be in front of the wyverns. Come see me when you're ready to fly. Chris, you have the flute; so you should call Iris on your own."

After that, he walked away.

"It's finally time." Milla said as she looked at the blue skies of Auj Oule.

"We'll saddle up as soon as we're ready." Jude said.

"Let's stock up on supplies first." Chris said as she went ahead of them. As they walked, she overhead Jude, Leia and Rowen's discussion about the Chimeriad. She heard about the Shrade Island incident from word of mouth when she was a freshman in Talim Med. A hundred and twenty soldiers were wiped out by four people. Among the casualties were also two officers; the sons of the noble Travis family of Rashugal. She never really cared for what happened back then but she did suspect that Jiao, Wingul and Presa were one of those four. They headed up to the nearest supply shop and bought a couple of more gels and a new Mythril Sword for Chris since she lost hers in their escape in Kanbalar, before heading back down and approaching the inn.

"Wait." Jude called for Alvin.

"Still having doubts about me, huh?" Alvin asked him as he turned around. "And it looks like you're not the only one. Fine, fine. Remember the first time the four of us went to Nia Khera and I went off by myself?"

"The time I came out of my shrine and only Jude was there?" Milla asked as she crossed her arms.

"That's the one. I was off meeting with Wingul." Alvin said.

"So you had a secret arrangement with them? To hand Milla over if she became a problem?" Rowen asked him.

"But wasn't Chris with you at the time?" Jude asked him.

"He was. Until I lost track of him in the Spiritway when I got preoccupied with some monsters. Imagine my surprise when I realized I beat him back to the village." She responded with crossed arms.

"How could you? Stabbing Milla and Jude in the back like that?" Leia exclaimed with her hands on her hips.

"Hold it." Alvin told her before continuing on. "Yeah, I was working a few different angles at the time but this time, I was just using that to our advantage. You know, the only reason we were given permission to use the wyverns is because I arranged that with them ahead of time."

"Wait…so when you betrayed us in front of Gaius…" Elize said before trailing off.

"Yep. If I hadn't pretended to betray you there, they never would have let us ride the wyverns. That's why I lied and told them you ran in the opposite direction of Xian Du." He explained to them.

"I want to believe you. But I can't. Not yet." Jude said through gritted teeth.

"That reminds me; that Presa woman we met at the Kijara Seafalls. It seems like you already knew her." Milla said. At those words, Alvin stayed silent for a second as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"What do you want to know?" He asked them.

"Who is she? Really?" Jude asked him. But then, Alvin didn't answer and Jude exploded. "How are we supposed to trust you if you keep hiding information from us?"

"Hey, all right. Calm down. No need to get snappy." He responded.

"Do you even know what you're putting us through?" Jude questioned him.

"Better answer him, Alvin, or I will and I'll make you look bad in front of everybody here." Chris threatened him as she crossed her arms.

"I met her when I was working for Rashugal's intelligence service." Alvin answered. Chris raised an eyebrow; so she was right as to who Alvin was to Presa. She recalls Presa telling them a story one time but that's to be discussed for another day.

"At the time, she was an Auj Oule secret agent working undercover in Fennmont." He added.

"And?" Jude pressed on.

"After that, we became personally involved. You probably don't want to know the specifics."

"Okay, I believe you. But I still don't trust you."

"Heh, you're so cute when you're upset." Alvin teased, prompting Chris to roll her eyes.

"Stop that. I'm still angry at you." The young man snapped at him.

"Alright, alright."

"Alvin, can I ask you one last thing?" Milla requested.

"Of course."

"Tell us why you're helping us. What's in it for you?"

"You're asking that now. Because I love the hell out of you guys, of course!" Alvin answered. They all groaned at the answer.

"More lies!" Teepo accused him.

"How could you even think that? I'm hurt!" Alvin exclaimed **(1)**.

"Ugh, let's just go. Settle your businesses here so we can get a move on." Chris said as she anxiously rubbed her arms. They were already held back a day and anymore delays only raises the probability of the Auj Oule army finding them.

* * *

Much to Chris' chagrin, Leia practically strong armed Jude into introducing her to Karla Outway so while Milla, Rowen and Elize were off wandering the town, she was suckered in with Jude, Leia and Alvin to meeting the woman. However, she somewhat managed to get off easy since she already met the woman once so she stayed in the ground floor of the inn and didn't pay attention to the conversation happening directly above her until they started talking about King Gaius and the Battle of Fezebel.

"During that battle, Gaius led a battalion of Long Dau soldiers, even though he was a member of a different tribe himself. At just twelve years old **(2), **he led his troops to victory against an entire regiment of the Rashugal army. He was also the first to sense the oncoming arrival of the giant tsunami. He advised the Long Dau to retreat, but the chief couldn't bring himself to give the order. The tsunami ended up swallowing both armies and wiped out Gaius' entire battalion." Karla explained to them.

"So, that's how he became the ornery fellow we all know and love." Alvin said. Chris nearly laughed out loud at how they were both thinking the same thing.

"Gotta hand it to him, though. It is true that most folk want a strong leader to guide them. And he's certainly won the trust of his people." The mercenary remarked.

"Gosh, Karla, you really do know about History!" Leia praised the woman. Again, Chris nearly laughed so hard.

'Oh, if only you knew Leia…' She thought to herself.

"Well, at least when it comes to King Gaius." She responded.

"Is there a reason for that?" Alvin asked her.

"There just might be. See you later, everyone." Karla said before she left. Chris immediately pretended to be interested in building's architecture so Karla wouldn't catch sight of her and talk to her and blow her cover in front of everyone, loathe as she is to do it. When she was sure Karla has left the inn, she let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding in and calmed down as the others finally approached her yet again. Quietly, they exited the inn and started walking.

"Plenty of heat between Karla and Gaius, huh?" Alvin teasingly asked Jude.

"You make it sound so illicit." The young man responded.

"And poor sweet Jude is left out in the cold." He said. Chris sent him a glare that he didn't notice. She didn't appreciate the way Alvin was talking about her aunt.

"Come on! You know that's not why I'm looking for Karla!" Jude said with a small blush that made Chris frown a bit. A blush usually implies that you like a specific person and she didn't like that one bit. Besides, doesn't the kid have the hots for Milla or something? Immediately, Chris tuned out the conversation and they continued on towards the coliseum.

"Why are we here?" Chris asked them.

"We're looking for Karla. We wanna ask her more about King Gaius." Leia answered. Chris sighed and nodded in response before they went on ahead. She spotted Karla near the coliseum entrance so when her friends were making their way towards her, she just stayed in the middle of the staircase, listening to the conversation.

"Karla, if you don't mind us asking, what's your relation to King Gaius?" She heard Jude ask. Chris' eyes widened. If Karla tells them the truth, she'd knock them out and make sure they forget the conversation ever happened.

"Now, I sure wasn't expecting that." Karla responded.

"Come on. I bet it's a great story!" Leia cajoled her.

"I appreciate your interest but I get the sense that Jude isn't asking out of idle curiosity." The young historian said.

'Please don't say anything. Please don't say anything. Please don't say anything.' Chris prayed in her mind as she continued sitting on the staircase.

"Around the time of the Battle of Fezebel, I was betrothed to a man from the Long Dau tribe. It was an arranged marriage but nevertheless we fell in love with each other at first sight." Karla said in order to indulge their curiosity.

'That's actually pretty cute. Wait, she was engaged?' Chris thought in her mind. Her aunt never said anything about her being engaged at one point.

"Naturally, my betrothed had to go to war with the rest of his tribe. But he never came back."

'Oh, that's pretty freakin' sad. No wonder she never said nothing.' The young woman thought.

"Because of the tsunami?" Jude asked for clarification.

"No."

"It wasn't Gaius, was it?" Alvin asked in confusion.

"My betrothed was one of the Long Dau chief's aides. He wanted to make a name for himself before we got married. He must've thought that's what I wanted. So when Gaius told the Long Dau chief about the incoming tsunami, my betrothed told the chief that Gaius was out of his mind and swore that a retreat wouldn't be necessary." She revealed.

"And Gaius went after him for that?" The young man asked her.

"The few people who survived the tsunami said that my betrothed was still alive after it had passed. And that Gaius was with him."

"I can't believe it." Jude said.

"All I know for sure is that he never came back. They never even found his body. I don't know for sure if Gaius did something to him. When I asked the King about it, he refused to answer. After the battle, my father died from an illness and I never saw my brother Erston again. I've been alone ever since." Karla explained further.

"After all that, you'd be nuts not to hate the guy." Alvin stated.

"Come on, Alvin." Jude exclaimed.

"And I bet your hatred for King Gaius is pretty much the only thing keeping you going at this point." He cajoled her. At this point, Alvin is starting to sound like a villain, trying to cultivate someone's hatred for another person.

"You may be right about that." She responded.

"I'm sorry."

"Now, it's time for me to leave Xian Du for a while."

"Where are you going?" Jude asked in curiosity.

"Somewhere in Auj Oule." She cryptically said. "See you all around."

And with that, Karla walked away. She headed down the staircase where Chris was sitting at and as she approached the younger woman, she patted her head. Chris looked up at her in surprise and for a brief second, Karla's face showed the shock she felt upon seeing the bruises on her face and then, as quickly as it came, it vanished. She knew that it was going to happen the moment she saw Chris in the inn, anyway.

"You heard all that, didn't you?" She asked and Chris nodded. She knew her dad would do anything for his country and his people but she never pegged him to be a murderer. Besides, there was no substantial proof that her dad killed her…for a lack of a better word…should've-been uncle. So unless, she heard it come out of his mouth, she'd hold judgment until then.

"Believe what you think is right, Christina." Karla said before she kissed her forehead and patting her cheek.

"What do you believe?" She asked her but Karla simply shook her head before turning around and she walked away.

"Aunt Karla." She called for her. Karla turned to her immediately.

"I'll get you an answer. I promise." Chris said with a determined voice. Karla smiled at her before she completely walked away. After a few more minutes, Jude and the others finally approached her.

"Alright, kids. Let's go." Alvin teased them and they all headed back to the city.

When they made it back to the city, they all met in the bridge before continuing on to the wyvern pens.

"Are you ready to depart for Fennmont?" Yurgen asked them and they all nodded.

"You can't possibly land right on Rashugal's capital. Like Chris said the other day, you'll probably have to touchdown on a highroad nearby or find some other suitable spot." Yurgen warned them. "Well, I'll do some last minute preparations with the wyverns while Chris beckons her own." He added before walking off. Chris pulled the flute out and started performing the melody that Ethan composed once she was done, Iris and Maximus flew towards her. Thankfully, they were already saddled up and the others were ready to fly.

"Hey, Iris, think you can fly me to Fennmont? Yeah?" She asked the wyvern who shrieked in response, which Chris took as a positive answer.

"You stick close to us, Maximus." She said as she started to board Iris. Before she could, however, Iris took off.

"Whoa, Chris!" Leia called for her. Iris rounded back and revealed Chris standing on the saddle in lieu of sitting on it.

"Come on, guys, this is pretty fun!" She cajoled them before completely taking off with Maximus behind them.

"Kid is pretty badass to be standing on a wyvern." Alvin remarked as he and Elize got on a wyvern. The moment everyone got on their respective wyverns, they all took off and became very hard to control. The wyverns were so fast that they overtook Chris.

"Hoo boy. Let's go, Iris." She said as they shot after them. Thankfully, she managed to catch up to them.

"Stop this wyvern! I wanna get off!" She heard Leia yell.

"This is quite difficult." Rowen remarked as he tried to get their wyvern under control.

"Yank the reins!" Chris tried to instruct them.

"Try to steer better, please!" Elize pleaded with Alvin.

"Help! I think I'm going to barf!" Teepo yelled out.

"Teepo! Shut it!" The mercenary scolded him. Chris immediately moved to check on Milla and Jude. Her eyes widened considerably when she saw the younger man tightly clutching on the older woman's waist.

'Well, quite the opportunist, ain't he?' She thought to herself with a grin.

"Are we there yet?" Jude asked in a panic.

"No. Not yet." Milla responded. After a couple of more twists and turns and dive-bombs by the wyverns, they were finally under control and flew above the clouds. The others awed at the sight.

"Whoa…never been this high up before. You guys been hiding this view from me?" Chris asked Iris as she marveled at the sight. Maximus started squawking all of a sudden and before Chris could ask him what his problem was, a huge, green scaled beast emerged from beneath the clouds.

"Oh shit!" Chris yelled out as it started chasing after them. Well…so much for not cursing…

"It's right on our six!" Leia yelled out.

"Yes, Leia! We appreciate the obvious statement!" Chris retorted from her wyvern.

"Everyone, dive!" Jude instructed them. Immediately, their wyverns dove straight down. Miraculously, Chris managed to stay standing on the saddle as they wove through the clouds and dodged the beast's fireballs.

"I see Sharilton already! Maybe we can lure it to a highroad!" Chris yelled out. Unfortunately, their luck was bound to run out. It became clear when Jude and Milla's wyvern was hit in the wing, sending them spiraling down towards the town.

"Jude!" Leia yelled out in worry.

"Jude! Milla!" Chris called for them as she watched them crash land towards the city. They can only hope that they were still in one piece afterwards.

* * *

**AN: Hello, everybody! I know. I know. I tried so hard to squeeze this chapter out before 2015 ended but unfortunately, between getting sick and family reunions, I wasn't able to do so and for that I deeply apologize. Instead, let this be the first chapter for 2016. **

**Also here are the meanings of the numbers I put in this chapter:**

**1 - This entire conversation that took place in front of the inn when Alvin returned to the party is part of the "Those who act in the Shadows" sidequest.**

**2 - There is a mistranslation in the English version of the game; Gaius is thirty two and the Battle of Fezebel took place twenty years ago, therefore Gaius was only twelve years old during the Battle of Fezebel but the English version of the game mistakenly gave his age as twenty.**

**Anyways, wow, it's already 2016. 2015 was such a rollercoaster for me; depression, anxiety, good times, bad times, etc. I had so many highs and lows last year but despite all that, 2015 was still a good year for me and I hope it was a good year for you guys as well. Let us hold on to hope that 2016 will be a better year for us all. **

**Anyways, you guys know the drill; please leave a review, favorite or follow. Polls are still open. And that is it. Allow me to greet everyone, despite its lateness, a Happy New Year.**


	26. Chapter 25: The Return

**AN: Ey, yo, I'm still alive, b0ss! Hello everybody! GroundZeroFirework is back with the latest chapter of ToX: The Lilium Twin. Sophomore year is finally over and summer vacation has arrived and is also over and now I'm a College Junior. You guys probably noticed that I've been more active in the Love Live fandom than I have been here or Strawberry Panic but since I watched the Final Love Live concert (Hello to those who watched the live streaming and cried like a bitch like me), I've been making Love Live fics to cope because I can't accept the fact that, they're gone…and with those fics came more requests from friends and strangers alike so I just had to deliver. **

**Also, I shall be returning to an update format of one chapter per story to accommodate some requests and school.**

**Anyways, you know, I just realized that it's been more than a year since I've started this fic and I'll admit that when I started this, I was expecting to be way too far ahead in this story than where we are now, if I haven't finished this yet. But you know, I've probably set the bar too high and expected too much of myself as people say I have a tendency of doing. Anyway, I consider myself blessed by God to have gotten as far as I have now. Thanks to those who stuck around this story for as long as you guys have. Here's to more chapters to come! Now, let's start! **

* * *

**CHAPTER XXV:**

**THE RETURN**

* * *

Once Chris was close enough to the beast that attacked them in mid-air, she immediately drew her sword and jumped down from her wyvern, intending to aim for its head. Unfortunately for her, it moved at the last second to fend Alvin off and only allowed her to give it a huge gash on its neck. She would've broken her legs had she not tucked them in and perfectly executed a barrel roll. However, she heard a slight crack on her body. She clutched her rib as she stood up and pointed her sword at the beast, not minding Jude's conversation with Alvin. Almost immediately, they rushed in to attack it. Chris and Alvin slashed their weapons against the beast in tandem before it spun its upper body, sending them flying. Chris even almost fell off the edge had she not stabbed her dagger on the ground just in time.

"Why is it always me?" She muttered to herself as she dragged herself back to solid ground just in time to see Leia attack the beast with an arte in tandem with Jude's. The young man's kicks and punches served enough to distract the monster momentarily just enough for Leia to prepare her arte.

"_Spiral Strike"_

Leia's arte made her airborne momentarily, injuring the beast and managing to dodge out of the way before it could directly attack her. Milla rushed forward to attack, swinging her sword in different directions, until it fell down on its back and she backed away almost immediately.

"Now, Elize!" She yelled out and Elize summoned her arte.

"_Negative Gate!"_

Shadowy arms sprang up from a dark circle beneath it, further injuring the already weakening monster. Before it could rise from its position, Alvin started shooting at it before jumping up in the air and plunging his blade into the monster's tail area. Chris rushed up towards Rowen and pushed him out of the way as the monster was preparing for another attack.

"Thank you, young Miss." He said in gratitude as he prepared an arte to attack the beast.

"_Wind Lance!"_

Chris immediately left to attack the monster, stabbing and slashing at it in every part she could. She jumped back and prepared her arte, not realizing that Alvin was about to do the same thing.

"_Demon Fang!"_

Two shockwaves from opposite directions travelled towards the same target further injuring the monster but failing to do away with it.

"Damn! This is one tough cookie." Chris stated as she dodged another attack that hit Milla instead, sending her flying into the item shop. Luckily, Milla quickly recovered and sent an arte towards it.

"_Arrivederci!"_

A green glyph appeared below and sent damaging gusts of wind towards the monster and Milla used bind on it immediately before it can retaliate.

"Attack it now!" She ordered them as she strained with the binding. The rest immediately followed suit with Jude and Alvin attacking it with different artes while Chris and Leia did a spontaneous team up; Chris cupped her hands together and Leia immediately got the hint and jumped on it, launching her in the air and she managed to smack its head with her rod. Whether the monster was close to death or it was merely Leia's dumb luck once again, that hard smack was enough to kill the monster, making it fall off the ledge Chris nearly fell off earlier. They could hear the people clamouring for safety even after everything. Then, a familiar voice called out.

"Please, no one panic! Women and Children, seek shelter in your homes! All able bodied men to me!"

They all turned around and saw Driselle approaching them with her own contingent of soldiers. Her strong front was overtaken by her surprise once she saw Elize and Teepo approaching her.

"Elly, what are you doing here?" She asked them.

"I'm home." Was Elize's only response as Rowen approached them.

"Young Madam." He politely greeted her.

"Rowen? Everyone's back?" Driselle asked in surprise as she saw the others as well as a new addition to the group.

"Good to see you again." Jude greeted her.

"Hi, Driselle." Chris said with a gentle smile.

"Umm...nice to meet you. I'm Leia." The young nurse greeted her.

"Uh...hi." Driselle said, still not over her shock.

"I'm sorry to alarm you." Milla told her.

"I heard all the commotion and I thought Auj Oule was invading." The young governor said.

"Worry not. Auj Oule will not be invading today. That much I'm sure." Chris reassured her. All of a sudden, they heard Alvin collapse behind them and Jude immediately rushed in to aid him.

"You okay? You took quite a hit when you saved me." He said.

"Seemed like no big whup at the time...but now, it's really hitting me." The mercenary said through gritted teeth.

"Help us carry him." Driselle ordered two of her soldiers and immediately, they complied, bringing Alvin with them to the Sharil manor to recuperate.

* * *

About an hour later, once the commotion died down, the wyverns were placed aside and someone brought in to get a look at Jude and Milla's injured wyvern.

"Does it look like it'll heal?" Driselle asked the man.

"My lady, I'm just a horse trainer." He tried to tell her.

"Which makes you the most qualified to help" The young governor insisted, which left the man with no room to argue. Thankfully, Chris came along, having been treated for the rib she broke in her fall.

"I'll help out, Driselle. Worry not. I'm experienced in wyvern care. Plus we brought them to your city; it's only fair I help out." She insisted with a small smile.

"Then, I leave it to you, Chris." She responded with an approving nod and walked back to Rowen as Chris inspected the wyvern. She started by gently moving its injured wing. Nothing seems to be broken; just a bit burnt on some parts. Thank Maxwell it wasn't broken; otherwise they would have to put it down.

"What do you think, doc?" She asked the man beside her.

"They'll need time to recuperate. Not much it can do with a part of its wing burnt off. The same goes for the rest; they're surely exhausted from the journey they took." He answered as he continued his observations. Chris nodded in response and the horse trainer walked away.

"You'll be fine, big guy. Just a good night's rest and you'll be as right as rain." She gently told the wyvern to comfort it. In response, it simply brought its head down and closed its eyes to rest. With a gentle pat, she turned and left it in its place, approaching Driselle and Rowen yet again.

"All these rumours of war have everyone on edge. Let's return back to the manor before we cause any more commotion." The young lady suggested to which they immediately agreed.

* * *

The adventurers were resting in the foyer of the Sharil manor when Driselle, who stepped out for a moment, entered yet again. The others were chatting quietly amongst themselves while Elize was bouncing Teepo up and down like a ball.

"The horse trainer said the wyverns need some time to recuperate. You all should rest here in the city while you can." Driselle suggested to them. Just after that, one of her soldiers came in and she immediately approached him to hear his report. They noticed that she seemed to have been running herself ragged and they couldn't help but feel sorry for her for adding to her worries.

"That may be for the best. We're on the eve of a great battle after all. Everyone should get as much rest as they can." Milla said as she stood up. Needless to say, both Jude and Chris were surprised.

"Huh?" They both said in confusion.

"What's wrong? The two of you look as if I just spoke Long Dau." The blonde said, as equally confused as they are.

"You? Rest? I didn't even think that such a word was in your vocabulary." Chris said in surprise.

"Now, now, Chris. Milla is making perfect sense. We have had little rest since our departure from Leronde." Rowen lightheartedly said with a small smile.

"And you could use some time to gather your thoughts." Milla told the elderly butler.

"As you say." Was his gentle response.

As the hours passed, they wandered around the manor in search of things to keep them busy. Jude approached Rowen by the table they were sitting in earlier. Beside the elderly gentleman, having tea, was Chris. Both were having a comfortable moment of silence in each other's company. Jude wasn't surprised since Chris wasn't really much for talking anyway. This journey of theirs was the first time he'd heard her speak so much in the years they've known each other.

"Thinking about Nachtigal?" Jude asked him, bringing the butler out of his musings. "Maybe this is none of my business but how did you get mixed up with him?"

His question certainly caught Chris' attention, judging from how she looked up from her cup of tea and turned to the man beside her.

"We first met when Nachtigal joined the army as an officer. He wanted to serve, despite his royal birth. He and I were assigned to the same division. We fought in many battles together. We earned promotions and glory. That sort of thing builds bonds between men. We were truly brothers in arms. It was a glorious time for the both of us." Rowen answered with a somewhat nostalgic tone before standing up and walking up to the window.

"However, Nachtigal's growing influence began to threaten the power of his two elder brothers. The older princes ostracized Nachtigal even as they feared him."

"I know what happened next: the Sleepless Night we all learned about in History class. Remember when they taught us that, Chris?" He asked the young princess. Chris' response was to look at him with an incredulous look on her face.

"Yes, Jude. I know; I grew up with a history teacher for an aunt. I knew about that before they started teaching us." Was her sarcastic retort. The young man merely rolled his eyes before continuing.

"That brief civil war erupted when the late king passed away before naming a successor. The Six Ruling Houses and lesser nobles split into two factions. It was the biggest political upheaval in modern Rashugal history."

"And before that, Nachtigal put Nikus Castle under siege for six months to draw his brother Falco out...only the siege ended up killing everybody in said castle." Chris added before drinking her tea.

"The Sleepless Night lasted until Nachtigal slew his older brother, Adler, with the help of the military. He was a war hero, after all **(1).** For two days, the people rallied behind Nachtigal and his new regime." Jude continued as Rowen finally turned to face him.

"Nachtigal may have won the struggle but he lost something very dear to him. He lost his only ally in the royal family; his beloved sister, Princess Carrie. It hit Nachtigal hard. He was overcome with grief." The elderly man said, facing the window yet again as a brief flash of sadness was evident in his face. Something that escaped the notice of his two companions.

"They didn't teach us that part. Did your aunt teach you that, Chris?" Jude asked her but all he got in response was a mere shrug.

"He expanded his totalitarian control once he became king and there was no one left to check his power."

"Not even you?" Jude asked in wonder.

"Many pinned their hopes on me to act as a moderating influence on the king. I chose to leave the army instead." He answered.

"Is that what Wingul meant when we were escaping?" The young princess asked him.

"Indeed. It has been a difficult decision to live with." Rowen replied.

"You shouldn't blame yourself. It's not even really Nachtigal's fault. His brothers caused all of this." Jude defended.

"I agree, which is precisely why I failed to recognize when Nachtigal began to stray from the just path. We turned our eyes away from our duty. He and I both. Despite knowing that doing so would cause so many of our people to suffer. In contrast, the King of Auj Oule has never wavered from doing what must be done."

"You might be right." Jude replied. "Despite both being kings, Nachtigal and Gaius definitely left different impressions on me."

"The people no doubt see Gaius as a superb ruler." The old man said with a small smile.

"He kinda reminded me of Milla, to be honest." The young doctor admitted. Chris was about to roll her eyes at how predictable he was getting in conversations at this point but instead, her eyes widened as she drank her tea when she realized that he was right. Milla and her father do share things in common; stubborn, determined, would jump into things without a second thought even at the risk of others. But...in the end, they're also both determined to do what's right and beneficial to those they want to protect. Maybe that's why she wasn't really as hot for Milla as Jude was when they first met; because she subconsciously reminded her so much of her dad. Without a second thought, Chris walked out of the conversation and into the back garden of the manor, helping herself to a clean rag left in the kitchen. She sat under a tree, relishing the cool breeze the town almost always seemed to provide. The young princess polished her sword and cleaned it of the monster's blood that still lingered on the blade. It was nice and quiet around the manor, but that left her alone to her thoughts. Rowen's story earlier got her thinking; if her father and Milla have things in common, then...could it be possible that she and Nachtigal have similarities as well. After all, both their descents started with the death of a loved one...except she still has some semblance of sanity while Nachtigal has clearly lost his marbles.

"Gald for your thoughts?" A gentle voice said, prompting her to look up. Driselle was looking down on her with a gentle smile on her face. Chris moved over to give her a bit of space which she gladly occupied.

"Don't you have work to do?" Chris asked the young noble.

"Brother always did say it's not a bad thing to take a breather every once in a while. Though he never really did practice what he preached whenever he said that." Was her simple response.

"Has Rowen visited Cline yet?" The young woman asked and Driselle nodded in response.

"How is he?"

"He's not showing any signs of waking up…but for now, he's stable according to the doctor." The blonde woman replied. The pair shared a comfortable silence for a moment before Driselle spoke up again.

"Elly...told me everything that happened in Auj Oule. Including who you really are."

Chris' head snapped to look at her with a surprised look. Would Driselle look at her any differently now because of that? Were they still friends?

"Don't worry about it; I'm just surprised. It's not every day that a Rashugal noble has the opportunity to offer the Princess of Auj Oule sanctuary, after all. Why did you hide it though? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

The young woman sighed before giving an answer.

"Aside from not wanting to be sent home…I wanted people to see me for who I am…not for who I'm going to be." She replied. "I don't even want to be queen. That was always going to be Ethan's job. But…he's dead…and I'm the only one left."

"Why wouldn't you want to be the queen of Auj Oule?" Driselle asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I…I'm scared. I don't think someone as damaged as me should be leading an entire country. I mean…look at Nachtigal; Rowen told us he lost his sister. He lost his moral compass. He's way too damaged to be leading a country and look at all the bad decisions he made for Rashugal. I'm scared I'll be like him. Grieving people like us shouldn't have the fate of millions of people in our hands. I don't think I can handle it if I failed at that."

Not knowing what to say or even how to comfort the girl from her fears, all the young governor can do for her friend was wrap an arm around her and give her a hug.

* * *

About a few hours later, Driselle had to step out again and check on their wyverns, leaving Chris to fend for herself in the manor since the others went to do their own things around town. She paid Cline a visit earlier to see if he was showing any sign of improvement but when she found none, she left the room with a simple apology instead. Try as she might, she could never really stave off the guilt of putting Cline in a coma. Granted, that wasn't what she intended but…still…she could've been more careful. Seeing nothing else worth doing around the manor, she decided to check on their wyverns, passing by Milla and Jude on her way out. Probably going to have a googly eyed moment with each other again. A moment they sorely need. You know…to develop whatever's going on between them. Otherwise, she'll have to take matters into her own hands again. Finally, she approached the plaza where she found the others and she immediately beelined for the wyverns, where Driselle was.

"Ah, there you are. Perfect timing. Your wyverns are fit to travel." She said with a smile.

"Already. Wow. Must be aching to fly again." Chris remarked with a tone of surprise.

"I'll go look for Jude and Milla."

The young governor walked away with a small smile after that, leaving Chris to tend to play with the wyvern until Driselle arrived with Jude and Milla in tow.

"Where's Alvin?" Was the first thing to leave Jude's mouth.

"He hasn't shown up yet." Leia answered him.

"Chris?"

"Didn't even notice, kid." Chris replied as she turned to face the rest of her companions.

"He's probably figuring out his next lie." Elize glumly said as she moved her gaze to the ground.

"That's not true." Jude said as he kneeled in front of her.

"Come now, Elize, don't be like that." Chris said as she wrapped an arm around the girl. It must've been so hard for the 12 year old to see an adult she trusts betray them.

"What does everyone think about Alvin? Would you feel safe going into battle with him?" Milla asked them.

"Not one bit…but I can't deny he's useful in the field." Chris said with crossed arms.

"He's just trying to help out his mom, right? I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff." Leia lightheartedly reasoned with her.

"I worry that he himself will be unable to deal with that way of life much longer." Rowen spoke. Elize, however, huffed indignantly as a response. Teepo, on the other hand, begged to differ and revealed what Elize was actually thinking.

"Don't forget; Alvin was the one who saved me from the bad guys!"

Chris could only chuckle at that.

"Well, look at you, trying to act all cold and callous." The young princess cooed at the twelve year old as she gently tickled her sides, earning some giggles from the young girl.

"What do you think?" Jude asked the blonde woman as he finally stood up straight.

"We need to keep our guard around him until he reveals his hand. I can't disagree with Chris on the fact that he remains trustworthy in battle, at least." She replied as she placed a hand on her hip.

"Don't worry about that. I'm your guy." Chris said with a serious and determined expression as Elize left her side to approach Milla.

"Now, now, it's not polite to talk about someone else behind his back." A familiar voice stated. There, standing on the side, was Alvin, who greeted them with a mere salute. Elize gave him a cold glare and looked away.

"I don't care."

Alvin merely shrugged her words off.

"What can I say? You guys are my only allies."

His statement only earned him looks of disbelief from both former medical students and a shrug from their nurse companion.

"That makes everyone. Let's be off." Milla declared. However, Elize had other ideas.

"Please, wait." She said before turning to the elderly butler. "Rowen, are you really going to fight with your old buddy?" Teepo asked him in Elize's stead. Rowen gave her a smile before his expression turned serious.

"It was my fault that Nachtigal became the man he is. I am prepared to fight him when the time comes." He said, voice filled with determination. It became clear to them that he wasn't going to run away; not this time.

"You have our support." Jude said resolutely.

"Don't worry; I'll be right behind you." Leia said, to which Chris gave an approving nod.

"I've got your back too." Teepo and, by extension, Elize said.

"Thank you, everyone." The gentleman said in gratitude.

"Don't worry. I'll pick your dentures up if you drop 'em, grandpa." The mercenary teasingly offered.

"Please do." He replied a bit coldly, surprising Alvin.

"What, no pithy retort?"

"I guess that means we're all ready." Jude interjected.

"Let's make some final preparations before setting off." Milla suggested. And so they did, acquiring necessary equipment for the next leg of their journey. Chris was having a normal time until…

"CHRIS!" A familiar voice was yelling out, making the people around them look towards the girl in question. Blood rushed towards Chris' face in embarassment as she tried to act normal and puffed her cheeks out before turning around and saw Teepo and Elize running towards her.

"What is it this time?" She asked as she scratched her head with the hand that wasn't holding a bag of apple gels.

"Alvin told us that wyverns eat souls of children! Say it ain't so, Chris." Teepo said, frightened by such a possibility as Elize clung to her. She spotted Alvin in the crowd and he waved at her with a smile.

"No, it's not. Look at me, I was a naughty child and my soul is still intact. I think. Come on, let's go." She replied with an assuring smile as she took the girl's hand and approached their reuniting group.

"Well, Alvin, I hope you're ready to pay for therapy because once you're done with scaring the kid, that's totally where she's ending up." Chris indignantly said as she tried to navigate Sharilton's streets with a clingy twelve year old. Once they were finished with what they needed to do, they approached Driselle again.

"Thank you for everything." Milla said with a grateful tone. But Driselle shook her head before addressing Rowen.

"Please return home safely. For my brother as well. Cline's going to need you when he wakes up."

"You have my word, young madam." He said with a small bow. Chris played her usual melody to summon Iris and Maximus to her side and they immediately came.

"Then let's be off." Milla said as they each boarded their respective wyverns.

"Driselle, keep a weather eye out for Auj Oule troops. If you do spot some, send word to me immediately. It's highly doubtful…but it pays off to be cautious." Chris said with such finality that she couldn't refuse.

"I'll keep that in mind. You folks take care." She said with a small smile. With a nod, Milla and the others took off.

"See ya, Driselle." Chris said with a salute before flying off after them, leaving the young governor on her own, staring at the blue sky they were flying in now.

"Stay safe. All of you."

* * *

**AN: Alright…gonna have to cut this off here. Hope this is all to your liking after like…a couple of months of absences. Bet none of you were expecting me to update anymore but here I am. Anyway, here is what the number means:**

**1 – So, the game states that the Sleepless Night is where Nachtigal killed both his brothers, Adler and Falco, but…the timeline from the supplementary material said that Adler and Falco were killed…like…a year or two apart from each other, with Falco dying in Nikus Castle and Adler in the Sleepless Night itself. So, I'm following whichever material whenever I see fit.**

**Anyways, that's all for today. Again I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave your reviews and favorites and your votes that you can find in 2 previous chapters. Good night and see y'all in the next update. **

**Firework out!**


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